Davide Cesare
Encyclopedia
Davide Cesare, also known as Dax (1977 - March 16, 2003) was an Italian anti-fascist activist from Brescia
, who was stabbed to death by two far-right activists in Milan, the night of March 16, 2003. Cesare was brought to the hospital but died in the ambulance. Immediately after his death, members of his group tried to enter the hospital (reportedly to steal the corpse) but were blocked by the police. This resulted in new riots with several people being injured, damage to police cars, and the emergency department suspending all activities for the whole night.
Cesare's death and the following trial had a wide political resonance in far-left circles, both in Italy and abroad. This was partly due to the fact that the Italian media initially portrayed the events as a "riot between young dissidents" and, according to some sources, deliberately misrepresented Cesare's death as "a consequence of anti-globalization violence". During the trial, it turned out that brothers Federico Morbi and Mattia Morbi, the aggressors of Cesare, had in fact assaulted and killed him with premeditation. They were declared guilty in May 2004; Federico was sentenced to 16 years in jail, while Mattia (who was a minor at the time of the facts) was sentenced to 3 years. Giorgio Morbi, father of Federico and Mattia, was also judged guilty of attempted murder
for beating a companion of Cesare on the same night. One of the lawyers that represented the family of Cesare in the trial was Giuliano Pisapia
, who would later become Mayor of Milan (assumed office in June 1, 2011).
A plaque has been placed in Via Brioschi (the street of Milan where he was killed). Graffiti
in memory of Dax are quite common in Milan, but have also appeared elsewhere and abroad; they usually read "Dax vive" ("Dax lives", in Italian) or "Dax odia ancora" ("Dax hates on"). One of these graffiti, portraying Cesare's face, used to be painted on the Darsena, former port of the Navigli
canal system; its removal by Milan's cleansing department in 2007 was subject to much controversy and was strongly condemned both by activist associations and by members of the government, such as Ministry of Culture Vittorio Sgarbi
.
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
, who was stabbed to death by two far-right activists in Milan, the night of March 16, 2003. Cesare was brought to the hospital but died in the ambulance. Immediately after his death, members of his group tried to enter the hospital (reportedly to steal the corpse) but were blocked by the police. This resulted in new riots with several people being injured, damage to police cars, and the emergency department suspending all activities for the whole night.
Cesare's death and the following trial had a wide political resonance in far-left circles, both in Italy and abroad. This was partly due to the fact that the Italian media initially portrayed the events as a "riot between young dissidents" and, according to some sources, deliberately misrepresented Cesare's death as "a consequence of anti-globalization violence". During the trial, it turned out that brothers Federico Morbi and Mattia Morbi, the aggressors of Cesare, had in fact assaulted and killed him with premeditation. They were declared guilty in May 2004; Federico was sentenced to 16 years in jail, while Mattia (who was a minor at the time of the facts) was sentenced to 3 years. Giorgio Morbi, father of Federico and Mattia, was also judged guilty of attempted murder
Attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.-Today:In English criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit unlawful killing and at the same time having a specific intention to cause the death of human being under the Queen's Peace...
for beating a companion of Cesare on the same night. One of the lawyers that represented the family of Cesare in the trial was Giuliano Pisapia
Giuliano Pisapia
Giuliano Pisapia is an Italian lawyer and politician, twice member of the Parliament and Mayor of Milan since 1 June 2011...
, who would later become Mayor of Milan (assumed office in June 1, 2011).
A plaque has been placed in Via Brioschi (the street of Milan where he was killed). Graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
in memory of Dax are quite common in Milan, but have also appeared elsewhere and abroad; they usually read "Dax vive" ("Dax lives", in Italian) or "Dax odia ancora" ("Dax hates on"). One of these graffiti, portraying Cesare's face, used to be painted on the Darsena, former port of the Navigli
Navigli
The navigli was a system of navigable and interconnected canals around Milan, Italy.The system consisted of five canals: Naviglio Grande, Naviglio Pavese, Naviglio Martesana, Naviglio di Paderno, Naviglio di Bereguardo. The first three were connected through Milan via the Fossa Interna, also known...
canal system; its removal by Milan's cleansing department in 2007 was subject to much controversy and was strongly condemned both by activist associations and by members of the government, such as Ministry of Culture Vittorio Sgarbi
Vittorio Sgarbi
Vittorio Umberto Antonio Maria Sgarbi is an Italian art critic, politician, cultural commentator and TV personality.He was appointed curator of the Italian Pavilion at the 2011 Venice Biennale...
.