The owner of an Italian beach club which exalts the achievements of Benito Mussolini was ordered to remove all references to Fascism on Monday, in a scandal that reached all the way to parliament in Rome.

The action came as questions were asked as to why the authorities had not known about – or had turned a blind eye to – the resort, which was plastered with Fascist slogans and references to “gas chambers”.

“It’s shocking that there was such tolerance for what was going on along a beachfront that is so popular and well-known. I’m wondering about the person who granted the concession to this gentleman,” said Diego Collovini, from a national organisation representing the partisans who fought Fascist forces during the Second World War.