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FOOTBALL

‘Indescribable violence’ as football fans torch club president’s cars

Two cars belonging to the president of Serie A strugglers Pescara were set alight in an arson attack blamed Tuesday on hardline "ultra" fans upset at the club's poor form.

'Indescribable violence' as football fans torch club president's cars
A recent match between Pescara and Juventus.Photo: AFP

President Daniele Sebastiani said he planned to quit the crisis club after a Smart car and an SUV were torched, according to reports. Police were alerted by neighbours who saw one of the vehicles engulfed in flames.

Serie A condemned the “indescribable acts of violence” and Sebastiani said he had “had enough” and would quit at the end of the season, according to Il Centro newspaper.

“We hope those responsible are brought to justice as soon as possible. Intimidation or violence is not to be tolerated, especially by a president who has always run his club with immense passion and commitment,” said a league statement.

Police in Pescara are studying closed circuit television cameras near the scene following the incident.

Pescara, promoted to Italy's top flight this season, have struggled to climb their way out of the relegation zone since the start of the campaign.

Sebastiani offered to resign last week to spare coach Massimo Oddo the axe and on Tuesday went a step further.

“That's it, I've had enough,” he was reported as saying by Il Centro. “I will leave the club at the end of the season.”

It is not the first time fans have gone to extreme measures to express their ire at Oddo's side, who sit bottom of the table on nine points with just one win and six draws from 23 games.

Graffiti insulting Sebastiani appeared on the walls of the club's Adriatico stadium on Monday following a 6-2 hammering by Lazio.

Pescara have shipped a league-leading tally of 50 goals so far and are 13 points from the safety zone.

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TERRORISM

Terror alerts: Should I be worried about travelling to Italy?

Italy is on its highest-level terror alert and ministers have warned the public to be vigilant over the Easter holidays - so is there cause for concern if you're planning to travel in the country?

Terror alerts: Should I be worried about travelling to Italy?

Italian authorities agreed on Monday to increase anti-terrorism monitoring ahead of the Easter holidays, with more surveillance to be carried out at popular tourist spots and at “sensitive sites”.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had stressed to the public on Sunday that Italy faced “no concrete risk” at the moment, and said the country’s security and law enforcement services were “always on the alert to prevent any attack.”

READ ALSO: Italy on maximum terror alert over Easter after Moscow attack

Nevertheless, he warned that “during the Easter holidays you will need to be very careful.”

Italy has been on its highest-level terror alert since October 2023 following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, meaning the official alert level could not be raised any further on Monday.

The plan for increased surveillance and the warnings to the public in Italy came following the terrorist attack at a concert hall in Moscow on Friday where armed men opened fire and set the building ablaze, killing at least 133 people.

Ministers said that terror plots on this scale, organised by groups, “would be intercepted sooner in Italy” and said the main terror threat Italy faced at the moment was mainly from “lone wolves”.

He was referring to the fact that recent deadly attacks in Europe have often been carried out by a single perpetrator, not affiliated to a terrorist organisation. The profile of attackers is often isolated young men who have become radicalised.

Unlike most other major European countries, Italy has not so far suffered any deadly attacks at the hands of jihadist militants.

Experts have suggested that Italy has been able to prevent attacks partly due to lessons learned from anti-mafia policing, and that it also has a lower number of citizens at risk of radicalisation than countries like the UK or France – and therefore fewer suspects to watch.

The country arrests dozens of suspects every year on terrorism charges following surveillance operations. Earlier in March, three men of Palestinian origin were arrested in the Abruzzo town of l’Aquila, alleged to be involved in an organised terror plot.

In 2023, at least 56 foreign nationals were deported from Italy after facing terror-related charges.

Italy is generally seen as being at a lower risk of being hit by a major terror attack than some neighbouring countries. So what exactly does the raised alert level mean for people in the country?

Heightened security

While much of Italy’s counter-terrorism work goes on behind the scenes, there will be increased police and military patrols over Easter in busy public places deemed “sensitive”, including shopping centres and places of worship.

The most visible manifestation of the heightened security alert in Italy is the armed soldiers on patrol outside government buildings, tourist attractions, airports, train stations, central squares and in other busy public areas.

Unlike in some other European countries, Italy’s airports do not regularly experience bomb hoaxes and other threats. While no additional security checks for passengers are being introduced, security is likely to remain tight at Italian airports this Easter, as at all European transport hubs.

If you’re visiting a major tourist attraction over Easter or attending any type of large public event, expect a high level of security at the door.

Travel advice

So far, no country has warned its nationals against visiting Italy – the US State Department still lists the alert level for Italy as Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, which has seen no change since July 2023. 

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