Naples The Naples Police Headquarters is cracking down on violence and disorder in stadiums. A total of 16 measures prohibiting access to sporting events (DASPOs), issued at the initiative of the Anti-Crime Police Division, target a wide range of illegal behaviors, from rowdy international away matches to violent incidents on provincial pitches.
The most significant ban concerns an incident that occurred across the Channel. Five Neapolitan fans, all between the ages of 18 and 30, will be banned from stadiums for three to five years.
The five were fined for the incidents during the Champions League match between Manchester City and Napoli on September 18, played at the Etihad Stadium.
Their "crime": attempting to access an unauthorized area. A scuffle ensued with stewards and British police officers, which culminated in their arrest. Their conduct, deemed seriously prejudicial to public order, led to the immediate adoption of a banishment order (DASPO) upon their return to Italy.
The Police Commissioner's action was not limited to major events, but also affected smaller matches, highlighting an alarming trend of violence at a local level:
Threats and assaults on referees: Two 4-year bans were issued to a 35-year-old and a 57-year-old.
It might interest you
Naples: The shadow of femicide looms over Nunzia Cappitelli's violent death.
Scampia: Over 1kg of cocaine seized; 56-year-old charged with receiving stolen goods
Naples: Five new apartments delivered to the San Nicola a Nilo social housing complex.
Arzano, three minors arrested for armed robbery; an 18-year-old also charged.
On-pitch assault: A 73-year-old man was handed a three-year prison sentence for assaulting two visiting team players during the Polisportiva Casoria-Boca Academy match.
The list of those sanctioned continues with measures of shorter duration but no less significant:
A fan was given a two-year ban after being reported for climbing over a crowd during the Napoli-Pisa match.
Three Napoli fans (aged 18, 26, and 48) have been given one-year sentences. The first two were reported during the Napoli-Genoa match, for lighting smoke bombs and resisting a public official, respectively. The third was charged with resisting a public official during the Napoli-Cagliari match.
Finally, three additional DASPOs (Detention Orders) were adopted, with bans ranging from one to four years, against individuals already convicted of crimes not directly related to stadium violence, but still considered indicative of social danger, such as drug-related crimes and resisting a public official.
The Police Commissioner's measure reaffirms the hard line against any form of deviance that could threaten the serenity and safety of sporting events, both at the highest levels and in amateur championships.
Comments (1)
It's important to take measures to combat violence in stadiums, but I wonder if these measures are truly effective. Violence doesn't seem to be abating, and new incidents are constantly recurring. Perhaps more controls are needed.