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(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 21 - The leaders of Italy's two biggest
opposition parties, Elly Schlein.of the Democratic Party and
ex-premier Giuseppe Conte of the 5-Star Movement (M5S),
expressed dismay and demanded a response from the government on
Sunday after a reporter for daily newspaper La Stampa, Andrea
Joly, was attacked overnight.
Two militants of far-right group CasaPound have been identified
by police as suspects in relation to the attack.
They have been reported to prosecutors and face charges of
causing bodily harm, with facilitating an organization aiming
for "discrimination or ethnic, national, racial or religious
hatred" an aggravating factor, sources said.
"I express my solidarity and closeness with Andrea Joly, a
journalist for La Stampa, who was attacked and beaten by
CasaPound militants in Turin last night, just for having filmed
them on his mobile phone while they were celebrating their
anniversary outside a club," Schlein said.
"But I also express great concern about the climate of impunity
that we continue to see in the face of such serious episodes:
what more must we wait for for neo-fascist organisations to be
disbanded, as the Constitution says?
"We ask Premier Giorgia Meloni and Interior Minister Matteo
Piantedosi to intervene immediately".
Conte described the attack on Joly as "squadrista".
Joly was attacked outside the 'Asso di Bastoni' club that is
frequented by far-right militants while a party was taking place
for its 16th anniversary.
A group of militants, alleged demanded Joly hand over his
telephone after he filmed the event and then attacked him when
he tried to get away.
La Stampa published a video in which three people can be seen to
surround the journalist, hit him and then drag him to the
ground.
At that point, a fourth person with a shaved head arrives kicks
him while a shout 'leave him' can be heard coming from a window
Meloni condemned the attack.
"I express my solidarity with journalist Andrea Joly, who was
the victim of an unacceptable attack in Turin last night," said
Meloni, the leader of the right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI)
party.
"(It is) an act of violence that I strongly condemn and for
which I hope those responsible will be identified as quickly as
possible.
"The government's attention is at the maximum and I have asked
Interior Minister (Matteo) Piantedosi to keep me updated on
developments in the case".
Piantedosi thanked Turin Police "for having promptly identified
two individuals strongly suspected of involvement in the attack.
"There will never be room for violence of any kind in our
country, even less so with our government, especially if it is
perpetrated for reason discrimination or to the detriment of
fragile individuals or those who perform particular, fundamental
roles" Piantedosi said.. (ANSA).
>>>ANSA/Opposition demand action after attack on journalist
Meloni condemns violence, CasaPound militants suspected
![(foto: ANSA)](/webimages/img_457x/2024/7/21/ecfd124a72321fcb2224d45a985a77be.jpg)