A large group of Napoli and Roma fans clashed in a service station serving the A1 motorway near Arezzo. The two supporters were returning from trips to Genoa and Milan.
Investigations are underway into the clashes, which caused injuries and delays along the highway.
The events on the A1 motorway
In the late morning of Saturday, Napoli and Roma fans clashed in a service area of the Autostrada del Sole, near Arezzo. According to the Arezzo police station, approx 350 Napoli fans they had stopped at the service area, followed shortly after by a group of Roma fans. The clashes, captured in some videos released online, saw fans throw objects and use sticks against cars and opponents. A Roma fan is was injured and later arrested for aggravated brawl.
Below is a collection of videos of the clashes put together by colleagues from Il Corriere della Sera:
The meeting between the fans was organized
The meeting between the two fans doesn't seem to have been casual, with the police station that he hypothesizes that the two parties had arranged an appointment to resolve ancient conflicts. It would be a sort of showdown for the hatred that dates back to the tragic death of the Neapolitan fan Cyrus Esposito, which took place in 2014 in Tor di Quinto at the hands of a Romanist ultra. The two supporters have always been kept at a distance, at least their extreme fringes, but despite the presence of reinforced public order services, the clashes still took place.
Clashes of this kind leave you stunned, especially if you think that they used to be the two supporters were very close and twinned.
Slowdowns on the A1 motorway due to collisions
Accidents caused the traffic block on the A1 for 50 minutes, with the police having decided to close the motorway to prevent the passage of other fans and to protect the safety of motorists. The police personnel present in the nearby Arno service area were also transferred to Badia al Pino. Although the final balance was of only one fan injured, the clashes caused moments of fear and damage to vehicles and the service area.
- collisions on the highway among fans are nothing new. The case of 2007 is famous, when Gabriele Sandri, a Lazio fan, died during a battle between two. Violence in stadiums and among fans remains a major problem in Italy, with incidents of this type bringing back sad memories of the past. We hope that these clashes will be the last episode of violence between fans and that we can continue enjoy sports safely and peaceful.
