A 27-year-old Senegalese migrant has been arrested on charges of attempted murder and aggravated bodily harm after assaulting a uniformed policeman near the local police station in Lecce on Monday evening.
The officer, initially subjected to verbal abuse, was attacked when the man grabbed him by the neck in an apparent attempt to strangle him.
As reported by Il Giornale, the attack occurred at around 6 p.m. when the foreign national, already known to authorities, approached the officer with threatening language. When ordered to move away, the man ignored the commands and escalated the situation by attempting to choke the policeman. In the ensuing scuffle, the officer managed to break free and immobilize his attacker until backup arrived to complete the arrest.
The officer sustained injuries, including wounds caused by his own chain, which the attacker used during the assault. He was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with injuries requiring 10 days of recovery.
This assault follows another violent incident in Padua, where a 32-year-old Nigerian man attempted to kill two officers with an axe before being subdued. Both cases have heightened concerns among law enforcement unions, who view these incidents as part of an alarming trend of increasing violence by migrants against police officers.
Local politicians and police unions are calling for military intervention in Padua after a Nigerian migrant attacked two officers with an axe, highlighting growing concerns over public safety and escalating violence in the city. https://t.co/K0eu0jKZU7
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) December 16, 2024“The trail of attacks on women and men in uniform continues unabated,” stated the Italian Unitary Police Workers Union (Siulp). Mirko Bray, the union’s general secretary, criticized what he called “excessive tolerance” toward individuals who resort to violence against law enforcement, adding that officers are frequently subjected to disproportionate legal scrutiny for their reactions during interventions.
Domenico Pianese, general secretary of the Coisp police union, called for swift legislative action to better protect law enforcement. “It is no longer a time for words or formal solidarity but for concrete actions. The security bill must be approved immediately,” Pianese said. “Safety is non-negotiable, and anyone who attacks a policeman must be punished without any relief.”
The Senegalese man is currently in custody awaiting legal proceedings, as the investigation continues into his motives and prior interactions with law enforcement.
Europe's train conductors have become frontline victims of a violent breakdown in public order fueled by unchecked mass immigration, exposing systemic failures in both security and integration policies. https://t.co/l6ftYGB1yA
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) November 21, 2024Meanwhile, police unions continue to push for reforms to address what they perceive as an escalating threat to officers’ safety.
Commenting on the axe attack against two police officers in Padua last week, a regional councilor described the city as resembling the “Wild West,” particularly at night, and called for military intervention. “The gravity of the situation in Padua requires the deployment of the army,” Elisa Cavinato said.
Maurizio Ferrara, general secretary of the FSP Police Union in Veneto, highlighted a “crescendo of hatred and contempt” toward police. He noted that officers are often left without adequate tools to manage escalating violence.
