San Mango Piemonte – It was a night of fear along the A2 Mediterranean motorway, where a violent clash between supporters turned a stretch of highway into a veritable battlefield. According to initial reports, the clash involved Catania ultras—returning from the away game in Giugliano (Naples)—and groups of Casertana fans, returning from the game in Picerno (Potenza).
The accident occurred near the San Mango Piemonte junction, in the province of Salerno, around 20:30 PM. Within minutes, the situation escalated, with stones, smoke bombs, and sticks being thrown across the lane, as terrified motorists watched, stuck in traffic.
Highway transformed into an arena
According to traffic police sources, approximately 150 troublemakers were involved in the clashes, split into two groups that blocked both directions of traffic. Some fans reportedly got out of their cars and vans, crossing lanes and engaging in combat in the middle of the road, while others threw flares and rocks at opposing vehicles.
"It was chaos," said a driver traveling south. "We saw people running in the middle of the road, bottles and rocks flying from one side to the other. We were afraid someone was going to shoot."
The motorway section was immediately closed for safety reasons, with traffic diverted to the Salerno and Pontecagnano exits.
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The intervention of the police forces
Highway Patrols, along with Carabinieri, State Police, and ANAS personnel, responded to the scene in force. Only after over an hour of tension did law enforcement manage to restore calm and disperse the opposing groups.
Officers then began surveys and investigations to reconstruct the events and identify those responsible. The investigation—coordinated by the Salerno Prosecutor's Office—is aimed at identifying who organized the contact between the two fan groups and whether the clashes were pre-planned. It has not been ruled out that the two groups had arranged to meet on the highway to settle old scores related to previous violent incidents.
Meanwhile, work is underway to quantify the damage: some passing cars were reportedly hit by blunt objects, while road signs and barriers show clear signs of stones and bottles being thrown.
A trail of violence that doesn't stop
The San Mango Piemonte incident adds to a growing series of clashes between fans that have occurred in recent months on highways and at rest stops in Campania and Basilicata. From the brawl between Foggia and Potenza ultras to the one between Taranto and Avellino supporters, stadium violence appears to have increasingly moved away from sports venues, turning travel into risk zones for ordinary citizens.
According to investigators, the most worrying aspect is the informal coordination between the most radical ultra groups, who exchange information on the movements of rival fan groups through encrypted chats and social media.
Comments (1)
What happened in San Mango Piemonte is truly alarming. Violence between fans should have no place in the streets or even on the highway, but unfortunately it's happening more and more frequently. The authorities must take stricter measures.