Riots Flop as Italy’s Far Right Takes Election Fight to Facebook

  • Clashes at Italian anti-racist marches fail to materialize
  • Facebook introduces tools for party engagement ahead of vote

Photographer: Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images

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Italian authorities braced for the worst Saturday, deploying riot police across the country in anticipation of far-right street fighters wreaking havoc on marches by anti-racists and anti-fascists. One expected flashpoint town even shut down public transport as it went into lockdown.

But then the far-right largely failed to show. Instead of taking to the streets, it took to Facebook.