Away travel has been banned for Lazio and Napoli fans until the end of the season. The crackdown came Tuesday evening with the signing of the decree by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, following the meeting of the National Observatory on Sporting Events chaired by Maurizio Improta. The measure, currently being notified, bars participation in away matches for both sets of fans, deemed involved in particularly serious incidents of violence. The only exception concerns the Lazio-Roma derby on May 17: although formally an away match, the match will be played at the Stadio Olimpico and will allow Lazio supporters to be present in the stands.
The decision is linked to clashes that occurred last Sunday along the highway near Frosinone. Organized groups representing the two fan bases clashed while traveling in opposite directions: the Lazio fans were returning from Lecce, while the Napoli fans were headed to Turin for the match against Juventus. According to investigations, the encounter was not a casual one. The nature of the clash and the seized material suggest a planned meeting. Traffic Police officers and the Digos special operations unit (DIGOS) from Rome, Naples, Frosinone, and Turin recovered batons, knives, and motorcycle helmets used as protection during the clashes.
Eighty Lazio fans, including several minors, were stopped and identified in the early hours of Sunday at the Monte Porzio Catone toll booth. The DIGOS investigation has already led to the collection of evidence against 54 Lazio ultras traveling in six minibuses. They will be charged with violating the rules governing participation in sporting events, which also punish violence committed during travel to stadiums. The Rome Police Chief may issue a ban on their participation.
Investigators are now analyzing footage from highway surveillance cameras to reconstruct individual responsibilities in detail, identify those who actively participated in the clashes, and charge any additional crimes, from brawling to personal injury.
On the Naples front, on Sunday afternoon, at the Trofarello toll booth on the outskirts of Turin, the Italian Special Operations (DIGOS) police detained approximately 300 Neapolitan ultras. During the checks, they seized over one hundred PVC poles, firecrackers, smoke bombs, a signal torch, two firecrackers, and other material potentially usable as a weapon. This situation has strengthened the Interior Ministry's hard line, determined to prevent further incidents of guerrilla warfare linked to organized fan support.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
It's a shame that away games are banned, but I understand the government's reasons. Violent fan behavior shouldn't be tolerated, but I hope true fans can return to cheer on their teams safely.