Maybe..... Rome, August 197-
The Background:
The Socialist Italian government slides into a long hot summer. Rome feels, well, ‘eternally hot’ and in the Vatican, sewage smells after several days of sporadic services only add to the sullen attitudes of its inhabitants and supporters.
The control checkpoints / gates leading to Saint Peters square are manned by a “Motley Crue” of a handful of bored Gendarmes supplemented by a larger number of PYSO, Peoples Youth Service Organization volunteers. The PYSO is an umbrella organization sponsored by the Socialist government whose sponsored activities include everything from youth sports, community action to police assistance.
All PYSO activities are, of course, served salted with left wing ideology and are performed by socialist true believers supplemented by a larger number of fair weather socialist sympathizers mainly interested in earning educational stipends.
Contrary to “Red Guards” claims on the right, most PYSO members serving as police auxiliaries are not armed and most are not even fervent socialists- let alone Maoists. Red Guards or not, the gates are used to restrict access to the Vatican on various pretenses. There are, however, two lines that cannot be crossed. The first is a clearly painted line separating the Vatican from Italy. The other line is a vague policy line describing how much harassment can be meted out at the gates.
A Line (or lines) get crossed
An incensed Mark D ’Mateo, brother of Father Daniel D’ Mateo is using a creole of badly broken Italian, Brooklynese and English to engage in a “dialogue” with PYSO members over Father Daniel’s repeated pretense based delays in crossing to the Vatican ND now the insistence on searching his person for “state property”. The fact that Father Daniel is making a quiet statement of his own via full Roman collar, large crucifix, cassock etc. and thus openly separating himself from progressive clergy who wear street clothes only draws even more negative PYSO attention.
Push comes to shove, comes to shots….
There is no doubt that Mark D-Amato threw the first punch- decking an unarmed PYSO member, before defiantly striding over the white line into the Vatican. Likewise, there can be little doubt that PYSO members crossed the border line with night sticks to arrest the resisting Mark D ‘Mateo. What is in doubt is whether a PYSO leader shooting Mark D’Mateo’s large NYC frame twice with an underpowered pistol was justified. The shooter, however, can’t be questioned as he was struck fatally by a rifle shot fired by a Swiss Guard.
Likewise, it cannot be doubted that the Swiss Guard, like Swiss from the days of William Tell, hit what they aim at with steady precision. What can be doubted is whether the Guard truly needed to fire at all those hit: an unarmed PYSO member trying to drag the wounded Mark “D-Mateo back to Italy, a PYSO member pointing, but not firing another under powered pistol, a confused Gendarme actively firing into the Vatican. All told, rifle fire from the guards left two dead and two wounded and Mark D ‘Mateo has shelter at the Vatican.
Rome boils over:
Outraged and frustrated, PYSO members and supporters converge on Saint Peter’s Square. Religious goods shops and souvenir shops outside the square are looted resulting in the death of one store owner attempting to save his property. Businesses displaying religious symbols are vandalized. Clergy in the vicinity of the Vatican are confronted and some are lightly beaten. As the crowd nears the square and some appear to cross into the Vatican, a short and unequal pot shots verse guard shots leaves another PYSIO member dead.
The morning sees a calm at the Vatican as large numbers of Gendarmes stare into the Vatican at largely concealed Swiss guards and loyal Italian security officers. Rumors circulate that Italian right wingers have entered the Vatican and are being armed for its defense.
The next night, it is the right that rages. Crowds consisting of ante socialists, those simply frustrated by failing socialist policies and the bored battle police as provocateurs call for a mass march to defend the Vatican. Now it is PYSO offices and leftist owned property that is attacked. An ugly scene develops as unarmed youth caught in PYSO uniforms are beaten and marched off down a street by demonstrators.
Is Italy on the brink?
- The government asks for Mark D-Mateo to be returned to Italy for criminal charges? Will the Vatican comply? Will Italy attempt to force the extradition?
- If push comes to shooting again, how willing is the Italian military to support Socialist action against the Vatican?
- Will riots and counter riots spread if the stand off continues?