ITALIAN communists said “fuck you” to the European Union on Saturday as thousands from across Italy rallied in Rome against the dangerous anti-communist motion passed by the EU Parliament last month.

Communist Party general secretary Marco Rizzo shouted the oath as he tore up a copy of the resolution, which equates communism with fascism, to loud cheers from the huge crowds gathered in the Italian capital’s Piazza Santi Apostoli.

He condemned the motion for rewriting history with its claim that the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop pact had caused the second world war.

The resolution also calls for the erasure of all memorials of “totalitarianism” across Europe, including those dedicated to the Red Army.

“But without the Red Army,” he told the crowds, “We would all be speaking German today,” reminding his audience that it was the forces of communism that defeated fascism in Europe.

Mr Rizzo warned that the legislation is being used by the EU to justify member states banning communist parties and communist symbols.

The only beneficiaries of such legislation would be the far right, which is on the rise across the EU, Mr Rizzo warned.

The motion was tabled by the right-wing European People’s Party group, but many MEPs from countries with recent experience of fascism voted against the motion, including Greece’s conservative New Democracy Party.

Despite the reactionary nature of the resolution, it gained the support of a number of social democratic parties – most British Labour MEPs voted in favour of it.

The demonstration was also called to oppose Italy’s new coalition government, comprising the right-wing populist Five Star Movement and the neoliberal Democratic Party.

On Friday, the government announced plans to accelerate the expulsion of migrants from Italy.

In chilling language, Five Star leader and Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told a press conference: “I do not believe that redistributing migrants to other European countries is the final solution.”

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte welcomed the new plan as “a great step forward” and said he was confident it would produce more rapid repatriations.

“Italy has always been inefficient in this,” Mr Conte added.

Mr Rizzo remained defiant, vowing to resist the anti-democratic EU and its escalating anti-communism.

“Do they think that by acting in such a way they will stop our words, our militancy, our determination?” he asked. Those gathered amidst a sea of red flags replied No.

“Fuck them,” he retorted to loud cheers and threw the ripped-up resolution into the air.