Hundreds of people gave a fascist salute at a rally in Rome on Wednesday, raising their right arms in what is known in Italy as the "saluto romano," or Roman salute.

The gesture, which is punishable under Italian law in certain circumstances, frequently appears at gatherings of neo-fascist groups and supporters of former dictator Benito Mussolini.

The rally took place outside the former headquarters of the neo-fascist Movimento Sociale Italiano (MSI) and marked the anniversary of January 7, 1978. On that day, left-wing militants shot and killed two young neo-fascists at the site. A third later died of his injuries.

Since then, supporters of Mussolini have held annual commemorations at the location, following a ritualized format.

Italian daily La Stampa published aerial footage showing participants — most dressed in black — responding to the call “For all fallen comrades” by shouting “Present" while performing the fascist salute. The sequence is repeated three times.

The annual rally regularly draws condemnation from left-wing groups and opposition parties.

Separately, Italian media reported that four activists from the youth wing of the right-wing party Fratelli d'Italia were attacked late Tuesday during a poster campaign marking the anniversary of the killings. The attackers have not been identified.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a former member of the MSI youth movement, condemned the attack in a post on social media.

"When dissent turns into aggression, when an idea is silenced by violence, democracy loses. Always," Meloni wrote, adding that political violence in any form represents a defeat.

Meloni has led a three-party coalition of right-wing and conservative forces for the past three years.