(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 21 - Andrea Joly, a journalist for daily newspaper La Stampa, was attacked outside a Turin club that is frequented by far-right militants where a party was taking place overnight for its 16th anniversary.
    A group of militants, reportedly linked to far-right group CasaPound, 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.
    "We express solidarity with the journalist of the newspaper La Stampa who was attacked this evening by some people close to Casa Pound while he was trying to document an event in which they were involved," said Turin Mayor Stefano Lo Russo.
    "Episodes of violence and cowardly aggression like this, the responsibility for which I hope will be ascertained as soon as possible, must have no place in our city: they cannot be tolerated and must be firmly condemned by all political parties.
    "Press freedom is a fundamental cornerstone of democracy and every attack on those who exercise the right to report is an attack on democratic values themselves".
    Mauro Berruto, an MP for the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), called on Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi to intervene.
    The right-wing Turin club, meanwhile, said that the reporter started the brawl by pushing its members.
    "They (the club members) saw a person who was taking photos and videos and, when they asked him who he was, he did not identify himself as a journalist but, on the contrary, shoved some lads, causing a row," said the 'Asso di Bastoni' club. "Why would our members 'assault' a journalist when they have always been invited and welcomed (to our events), and we have always accepted reports by any news outlet". (ANSA).