
The Italian government has decided to crack down with an iron fist not only on violent participants in street protests, but also on organizers who use digital platforms to gather them. Through a new decree on urban security, the executive has provided for very harsh measures for all those who incite or create groups with the aim of causing unrest.
The news was confirmed by the country's highest justice officials immediately after the end of the government cabinet meeting. Speaking to the media at Palazzo Chigi, Justice Minister Carlo Nordio announced that this measure is directly aimed at preventing the organization of violence through virtual spaces.
Under the new legal framework, the legislation will severely punish any form of incitement or collaboration at a distance. As Minister Nordio himself stated during the press conference, “there is a specific crime punishable by four to twelve years in prison for anyone who, even through a computer or electronic means, promotes the formation of a group” for these “violent demonstrations.”
This intervention comes in response to the widespread use of social networks and messaging apps to coordinate clashes with law enforcement, shifting criminal responsibility even onto those who operate behind the scenes.