Three Roma Italian families beaten and forcibly brought to the police station

Alert DateSeptember 5, 2008 Country: Italy Address: Bussolengo General Type: Racist violence, Discrimination, Institutional discrimination Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-roma/zinghanophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Roma & Travelers Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Policing - law enforcement, Anti-discrimination, Anti-racism

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Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin Italian
Victims Gender Male, Female
Victims Age N/A
Victims Number N/A
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin Italian
Perpetrator Gender Male
Perpetrator Age N/A
Perpetrators Number N/A
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

A dramatic and emblematic episode took place in Bussolengo, near Verona in September 2008. Three Roma Italian families stopped in a car park for lunch. While they were preparing their lunch, they were confronted by a local police patrol and ordered to leave. They told the police officer that they would leave directly after lunch. However a Carabinieri (one of the national police agencies) patrol was called; the Roma were beaten and forcibly brought to the police station. There, they underwent terrible violence for over six hours. In addition to beating and verbally abusing the adults, the Carabinieri, continuously hit the children. One child lost three teeth, whilst another was kept for a long time with his head under the water. The episode was reported by an association that subsequently supported the families in reporting the incident to the judicial authorities. However they were charged with „resistance and aggression to police officials‟. They were found guilty some weeks later and were released after withdrawing the accusations against the police.

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