Men and women who have been thinking for months about what to do in response to this endless loss of life, respect, love, joy, and humanity.
How to oppose, how to be heard, seen, how to put grains of sand in a warmongering gear which is leading us straight into the abyss.
All over the world forms of resistance, cries or silences are breaking a daily routine impoverished by an undercurrent of blood, bombs, and numbers and numbers of dead.
So in Milan, a substantial group, formed for the occasion, of friends, friends of friends, a human, virtuous chain, decided to try. In 48 hours, so they tell, they organized this street demonstration with no time to ask for permission,
First, an intense exchange of messages, people joining in, trusting who suggested the idea ‘ the script is quickly outlined and the appointment is set: 7 p.m. at the Columns of San Lorenzo, a classic meeting place of the young Milanese movida.
More than 50 people gather there, and in exactly 10 minutes, tasks are assigned and off we go. Almost everyone spreads out in the square, walking among tourists and Milanese people.
Then the loud sound of a siren, the kind that announces a bombing. Dozens and dozens fall to the ground, holding notes that call for a cease-fire….
Three people wander among them and slowly and discretely cover the motionless bodies with sheets
People around are surprised, incredulous, watching speechless.
A couple of young passersby join in the action and throw themselves to the ground.
Mozart’s Requiem starts playing, the sheets are spread out, the square is still. Interminable minutes.
At the end of the piece: a cry “No more wars! Cease fire!”
They get up, shattered, dragging their sheets, shouting those words, while they move up to the church square to form the huge sign CEASEFIRE NOW, and shortly after, NO MORE WARS NO MORE INJUSTICE.
They do it, they find each other they embrace, and some introduce themselves with such huge satisfaction. They succeeded.
Now to the second part: how to put together the many images collected and circulate them? Shortly after, many of them were already at their computers working.
But one thing is certain: many are saying, “Let’s do it again, better yet and in an even more visible place.”
They already know: it will be done again..
