Indro Montanelli Statue in Milan

The Indro Montanelli statue in Milan was built in 2006 by the then-mayor Gabriele Albertini. Initially, criticism arose for the funeral aesthetic and impression of the statue; some described it as a ‘funerary mummification.’ However, in the last years, it has been contested for Montanelli’s link to colonialism, fascism and sexual abuse of an Eritrean girl. Since 2012, it has been vandalised by different groups, although mainly by feminist and LGTBQIA+ activists. In 2020, the debate on his figure was reignited in the light of the Black Lives Matter protests around the world. The case raises questions of how far crimes that took place in Italy’s colonialist past are acknowledged and, more broadly, whether a historical figure’s achievements can be viewed separately from their other actions.