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Napoli blast hooligans after brawling fans cause motorway chaos

Napoli condemned "so-called supporters" who caused chaos on Italy's major A1 motorway at the weekend by fighting with fans from rival club Roma.

Published: 9 January 2023 18:03 CET
Napoli blast hooligans after brawling fans cause motorway chaos
Hardcore 'ultra' supporters of Roma and Napoli clashed at a motorway service station in Tuscany while travelling to different matches. (File photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP)

Napoli fans were travelling to Genoa to see their team beat Sampdoria 4-0, while Roma supporters were on their way to AC Milan where their team draw 2-2.

Hardcore ‘ultra’ supporters of both teams were involved in serious clashes on the A1 motorway on Sunday afternoon after they reportedly bumped into each other at the Badia al Pino Autogrill service station, near Arezzo in Tuscany.

Nicknamed the Autostrada del Sole, or ‘sunshine motorway’, the A1 runs from Naples to Rome and then through Tuscany all the way to Milan.

“Napoli strongly condemns the behaviour by so-called supporters, who unfortunately still attend football matches in Italy, which involved creating disruption and danger for true fans,” Serie A leaders Napoli said in a statement. “They also struck fear into people on the A1 motorway who had nothing to do with football.”

Videos posted on social media by public broadcaster Rai show dozens of supporters fighting with flares, belts and bats as police sirens blare in the background.

Italian media report police as saying that the running battles led to the motorway being blocked for 50 minutes, creating queues up to 15 kilometres long.

“It was a crazy act which put people travelling on one of the country’s most important roads in serious danger,” Roberto Rossi, chief public prosecutor in Arezzo, was quoted as saying.

Napoli highlighted how football hooliganism in England has been reduced since the 1980s, calling on the Italian government “to swiftly take appropriate measures of a radical nature”.

READ ALSO: ‘Love Lazio, Fight Fascism’: New fan group aims to change football club’s image

“It is unacceptable for violent people to travel across Italy and attend stadiums without any consequences,” added Napoli.

Football Federation chief Gabriele Gravina said it was “shameful what happened”, adding that “institutions can and must do more”.

“These people have nothing to do with sport and should be punished,” he said.

Football violence is nowhere near as widespread in Italy as it was in the past but on occasion high-profile clashes between fans put the issue back in the headlines.

In December 2018 a fan was killed by a passing van during a huge brawl between Inter Milan and Napoli fans just a few minutes walk from the San Siro.

In 2007 a Lazio supporter was killed during fighting at the same motorway service station.

Member comments

  1. Hi, for context in relation to the last paragraph I think it is important to say that the supporter killed was shot dead by a policeman who was convicted and sent to prison

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TRANSPORT

Italy’s taxi drivers plan ‘biggest ever’ strike over planned industry reform

Taxi drivers were set to stage a nationwide walkout on Tuesday, May 21st, after talks stalled over a reform aimed at reducing long-standing cab shortages.

Published: 10 May 2024 10:53 CEST
Italy’s taxi drivers plan ‘biggest ever’ strike over planned industry reform

Taxi drivers’ unions announced the 14-hour strike in a statement on Wednesday after talks with Business Minister Adolfo Urso over a contested reform of the cab sector reached a dead end.

“In the absence of any updates, [this] may turn out to be one of the biggest protests ever staged by our sector,” the statement said.

Drivers and their families’ futures were “at stake”, it added.

Taxi unions said Urso had failed to give them the necessary assurances over a series of changes drafted by Deputy PM Matteo Salvini in early April, with drivers’ representatives expressing concern over the proposed issuance of new taxi licences and the creation of ride-hailing digital platforms.

The reform was reportedly intended as part of a wider government plan to boost public transport services around the country ahead of the 2025 Jubilee Year, when Rome alone is expected to welcome some 35 million visitors. 

But Italian taxi drivers have long opposed attempts to both increase the number of available licences and open up the market to popular ride-hailing services like Uber, whose standard service (also known as Uber Pop) is currently not allowed to operate in Italy. 

READ ALSO: Italy’s taxis are often a nightmare, but will things ever change?

Last October, taxi drivers staged a 24-hour strike in protest against the government’s approval of a decree allowing local authorities to issue new taxi licences – a move intended to ease longstanding cab shortages in some of the country’s largest metropolitan areas.

Italy’s major cities have a far lower number of taxis – and taxi licences – available compared to metropolises like London and Paris, with visitors frequently reporting difficulties with finding a ride, as well as long waiting times.

According to a recent report from Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, Rome, which hasn’t increased the number of local taxi licences since 2005, has well over one million ‘unresolved calls’ – that is, people who try and fail to book a cab ride – a month during peak tourist season.

Milan, which hasn’t issued any new licences since 2003, has around half a million unresolved calls per month.

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