The aggression committed by a Roma ethnic of Romanian origin in Rome, on Tuesday night, was the news of the day in all Italian media. The Ansa agency informed on Wednesday night about the death of the victim, but the news was later denied by both official bulletins and the victim’s friends.
“The violence of Romanians in Italy is growing. The fault belongs to the Italian government, unable to control the flow of new Community members”, the Italian press said as one voice.
Il Messaggero dedicates a large space and a huge title to the incident: “Horror in Rome - a Romanian sequestered, massacred, tried to rape and threw in a ditch a woman returning home”.
“No more tolerance”, the second title in the page reads. Reporters interviewed some of the inhabitants of the improvised camp where Mailat (the aggressor) lived and found out he is from the Romanian city of Sibiu. Those who know him say “He’s a nice guy. Maybe he was drunk”.
Maria Luisa Agnese writes for Corriere della Sera an article called “The specter of “monsters” who arrived from Europe” and quotes an expert, Marzio Barbagli: “I was conducting a research for the Interior Ministry in 2000 and the result was surprising: Romanians surpassed all other immigrant groups in the top of all serious crimes: murders, rapes, aggressions, extortions, pocket theft”.
La Repubblica publishes the comments made by the victim’s husband: “Were I not a man of the State, I’d take Justice into my own hands”. Giovanni Gumiero is a Marine officer.
Il Giornale discusses the “broken right to safety of Italians” and accuses Prime Minister Prodi and Interior Minister Amato for the situation. “They should all be deported”, the newspaper concludes.
Right-wing daily Il Foglio draws the attention towards the “baracopoli”, the improvised camps and comments that Italy should have used its right to prevent the immigrant flow for at least two years.
Left-wing daily L’Unita makes a detailed portrait of the Tor di Quinto suburb, the place where the incident took place. “It is no time to take measure anymore. The emergency situation can’t be ignored any longer”, the paper reads.
