Lotta Continua

Lotta Continua (LC; English: Continuous Struggle) was a far-left organization in Italy, during the historical period of social turmoil and political violence in the country known as the "Years of Lead". Its leaders Adriano Sofri and Giorgio Pietrostefani were convicted for complicity in the assassination of police officer Luigi Calabresi in 1972. Militant Cesare Battisti later joined other organisations and fled to France after being convicted for four homicides. Some other militants later joined the more famous Red Brigades. After the disbandment of the organisation, various former militants became influential Italian politicians, journalists or writers. Lotta Continua was founded in autumn 1969 by a split in the student-worker movement of Turin, which had started militant activity at the universities and factories such as Fiat. The first issue of Lotta Continua (LC's eponymous newspaper) was published in November 1969, and publication continued until 1982 after the organisation disbanded in 1976.