Racist, homophobic and anti-vax posts: who is the leader of the Calvani farmers

Danilo Calvani in Sanremo, but farmers protest: “He doesn't represent us”

The first evening of Sanremo Festival it promises to be fiery. Not so much for the singing challenge but for the invitation made by Amadeus to the protesting farmers: “I invite you to the stage to send your message”. But the main face of these tractor demonstrations is a rather controversial character: Danilo Calvaniformer leader of the Pitchforks and now on the front line against the government and Coldiretti. It is he who heads the Committee of Betrayed Farmers (CRA), the first to have started street demonstrations. “At the moment we have no discussions at any level with politics. Minister Lollobrigida doesn't want to talk to us and Meloni said that he will answer us after the elections. For us it is now a life or death battle“, attacked Calvani in one of the many demonstrations organized in recent days. In the sights of the former leader of the Forconi there is not only the government, nor even just European policies. Among the main recipients of his criticisms are above all the Coldiretti hey trade unions: “The farmers no longer follow them, they are no longer credible. We will take back what is ours as representation“.

Read also: Unicredit, record results and future. M&A no, but there would be a way…

Read also: Sanremo, Rai's gold mine. Advertising revenue over 50 million

Calvani accepted Amadeus' invitation: “One of our representatives will go on stage at Sanremo. We are in contact with the organization of the Festival to establish the details” added Calvani who then warned on social media: “Attention, the mobilization in Rome will begin from Thursday 8 February”. Despite the fact that the former leader of the Forconi is undoubtedly the most recognizable face of the protests of recent days, not all farmers agree with his methods and in his battles. The rift within the category emerged above all yesterday, February 1, when a delegation of farmers met the Minister of Agriculture on the sidelines of a fair in Verona. “Whoever spoke with Lollobrigida does not represent us”, Calvani was quick to point out. It was the man who responded to him farmers' committee who met the minister at FdI quota: “We are not sold nor do we sell anything – they replied -. We have made very specific requests which are the ones we want to obtain to save our companies. Unlike him, who he no longer has a company and so perhaps he will want to go into politics“.

Yesterday Dagospia reported i posts published by Calvani on Facebook. Among the most “colourful” are those against the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, accused of being too pro-Dem. In other posts, however, Calvani takes issue with Nichi Vendola for his homosexuality (“it is against nature“) and with the former PD deputy Emanuele Fiano: “For him, anyone who sells small Mussolini gadgets must be arrested.” And underneath the large writing with various insults.

This is who Danilo Calvani is

But in detail, who is the leader of the farmers? The leader of the “Coordination 9 December' he grew up in a family of farmers, “who passed on to me the values ​​of the land”, in the Pontine countryside reclaimed during fascism. In those lands he lives with his partner and four children. “I studied accounting – he tells Ansa – but I left the year before graduation and I am dedicated to growing vegetables“. In his past he has no party or union membership. “When I was young – he underlines – I voted DC and PSI, then I regretted it because they all ended up in prison. In recent years I have only voted on two occasions, once for Forza Italia and once for the Greens. In 2010 I participated to the INPS occupation in Latina, we created a civic list, I ran for mayor but I received a handful of votes. Maybe the slogan “didn't work”Don't vote for us because we are not corrupt!“. In 2013 he had risen to prominence as leader of the Pitchforks movementis now still on the front line and ready to step up to the Ariston stage in Sanremo.