Andrea Joly, a journalist for daily
newspaper La Stampa, was attacked outside a Turin pub that is
frequented by far-right militants where a party was taking place
overnight.
A group of militants, reportedly linked to far-right group
CasaPound, alleged demanded Joly hand over his telephone after
asking who he was and then kicked him when he tried to get away.
"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.
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