Sara Guglielmetti Starting October 20, 2026, pork will no longer be on the menu in school cafeterias in Piacenza. Specifically, the new fall-winter menu will no longer include coppa piacentina, loin, and cooked ham. Protesting are Brothers of Italy, the League, and National Future.
Piacenza bans pork from school meals
Controversy has erupted, with protests from the Brothers of Italy, the League, and the National Future party following the decision in Piacenza to remove pork from school cafeteria menus.
Specifically, the new autumn-winter menu will no longer include coppa piacentina, loin, and cooked ham . Fdi councilor Sara Soresi contested the decision, citing religious reasons. Mayor Katia Tarasconi immediately rejected the accusation of encouraging a process of "Islamization ," pointing out that the menus are not established by the council, but by dieticians, local health authorities (ASL) doctors, and committees that include parents.
In the video posted on social media, she even showed herself biting into a Coppa sandwich, in an attempt to defuse the controversy and demonstrate that her choice had nothing to do with religion.
Piacenza bans pork from school canteens: the reason
Controversy erupted following the decision to ban pork from school canteen menus in Piacenza, with protests from the FdI, Futuro Nazionale, and Lega parties accusing it of encouraging a process of "Islamization."
Mayor Katia Tarasconi responded to the controversy in her social media video as follows: " And there's one fact that should be enough to demonstrate how specious this controversy is: the same menu adopted in Piacenza is also present in other municipalities in the province, including Castel San Giovanni, administered by a League-led council. It is therefore clear that there is no political choice by the Municipality of Piacenza , much less a phantom "Islamization" project. Transforming a technical evaluation of school meals into a battle of identity simply means seeking controversy where there is none. And let another point be clear: no one wants to question the Coppa Piacentina, nor the value of our typical products. This Administration supports and promotes them continuously, from the Coppa d'Oro Award to the recent Panino 1714 with Coppa Piacentina project launched by Autogrill. It's one thing to promote one of the symbolic products of our region, which we will continue to do with conviction; it's another thing to transform a technical evaluation of a school menu into a war of ideas." religion. Let's at least leave children's nutrition out of political propaganda."