In Lecce, a disturbing incident has once again put the spotlight on growing violence against law enforcement in Italy. A 27-year-old Senegalese migrant was arrested after attempting to strangle a police officer near the local station on Monday evening.
This attack is just the latest in a series of violent confrontations involving migrants and the police, raising alarms across the country.
The assault unfolded at around 6 p.m., when the migrant approached the officer, initially verbally abusive. When the officer ordered him to move along, the situation quickly escalated, and the man grabbed the officer by the neck, attempting to choke him. A scuffle ensued, but the officer, despite sustaining injuries—some caused by his own chain—managed to break free and subdue the attacker until backup arrived.
This attack follows a similar incident in Padua, where a Nigerian migrant attacked two officers with an axe. Such attacks are fueling growing concerns among Italy’s police unions, who argue that violence against law enforcement is on the rise, particularly by migrants. The unions have long criticized what they see as a “dangerous tolerance” towards individuals who resort to violence against police officers.
Mirko Bray, general secretary of the Italian Unitary Police Workers Union (Siulp), expressed frustration over what he called “excessive tolerance” towards migrant violence and the disproportionate legal scrutiny officers face when responding to such incidents. Domenico Pianese, head of the Coisp police union, demanded urgent legislative action to ensure better protection for officers, stating, “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 investigators examine his motives and past interactions with law enforcement. As these violent incidents continue to increase, unions are pushing for the swift implementation of stronger security measures to protect officers in the line of duty.
In the wake of these troubling events, local leaders, like Elisa Cavinato from Padua, have called for military intervention to address the growing violence, with some describing cities like Padua as resembling the “Wild West” at night. Maurizio Ferrara of the FSP Police Union in Veneto condemned the rising “crescendo of hatred” toward law enforcement and pointed to the lack of proper tools for officers to manage such escalating violence.
