The Red Brigades: A history of an Italian terrorist group.
On Monday 27 April 2026
An illustrated talk by John Foot
A far-left militant group, the Red Brigades (Brigate Rosse) were responsible for numerous violent attacks during Italy’s Years of Lead. In March 1978 they kidnapped former Italian prime minister Aldo Moro, murdering his bodyguards. For nearly two months, they held him hostage while a shocked world looked on, before eventually killing him and dumping his body in the middle of Rome. The assassination of Moro was a national shock in Italy.
This talk will bring to life the history of the Italian terrorist group the Red Brigades (1970-1988) looking at the origins of the group, the escalation of its activities from small-scale attacks on cars to the kidnapping of a leading Italian politician, the way the Italian state dealt with the group, the conspiracy theories surrounding their activities, and the legacy of their activity.
About Our Speaker
John Foot is Professor of Modern Italian History in the Department of Italian, University of Bristol. He has published 10 books on aspects of Italian history, culture and politics – including studies on football, memory, psychiatry and a history of post-1945 Italy. His latest book is Red Brigades. Story of the Terrorists who brought Italy to its knees (Bloomsbury, 2025)
The event will commence at 7:30pm at
Assembly Room, Council House, North Street, Chichester
Prices: £10 members and £12 non members
We welcome payment via BACS, to Friends of Ravenna, Barclays Bank, Sort code 20-20-62, account No. 73194604. Please put ‘Brigades’ in the reference area when you make your payment If you prefer to pay by cheque, please send it to ‘The Treasurer’, 9 Dolphin Court, Bognor Regis. PO21 1TP
Enjoy light refreshments and time to chat after the talk
Please book and pay by Wednesday 22nd April so that we have numbers for catering purposes.