Stories

The incident

On the evening of 5th May 2010, Stefano Gugliotta, a 25-year-old Roman, ate with his parents and then went out to meet his cousin to help him celebrate his birthday. That evening, Roma were playing Inter in the Coppa Italia final at the Olimpico Stadium in Rome. Stefano was driving his friend's scooter for him because his friend was on crutches. He wasn't wearing a crash helmet. They were riding together in a group, with other friends on other scooters.
When they got to Viale Pinturicchio a police officer in riot gear came up to them from the left, got near to Stefano and punched him violently in the face. Stefano's friend, behind him, got off the scooter. The policeman shouted at the two of them, asking them what they thought they were doing and Stefano, incredulous, asked the police officer what he thought he was doing. Meanwhile Stefano's friend managed to get away, despite being on crutches and despite being pursued by the policeman – Stefano had managed to get between them with the scooter, but that left him alone with the policeman. A second police officer arrived and aimed a kick – at the scooter, according to his testimony, but, according to Stefano and according to the deep bruise on his thigh – at him. Finally, ten police officers in riot gear seized Stefano, put him in a police van and took him first of all to the Stadio Olimpico police station and then to Regina Coeli prison where he was to be detained for a week.

Stefano was charged with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. These charges were dropped and he was acquitted thanks to mobile phone footage filmed by a resident of the block of flats opposite. This footage was broadcast on several national TV channels in the days following the incident, and the excessive, gratuitous violence of the police was noted. Stefano was examined by ambulance personnel in the police station and then in prison. Both medical reports referred to the injuries he had sustained, which included bruises, head wounds and a broken tooth. In his statement, Stefano describes how, after being examined by the ambulance personnel, one of the senior offers from the police station near the Olimpico stadium gave him a form to sign with the “refused treatment” box already ticked. He decided not to sign, not having even been offered any treatment, let alone refusing it. The form was brought back to him, this time with the box not ticked. Stefano signed and wrote “I am not refusing treatment” across the form. Then, still according to Stefano's statement, the officer went away, angrily tearing up the form. The officer in question is facing trial .

The trial

In June 2014, in Section 10 of Rome Court, nine police officers were sentenced to four years in prison for the equivalent of grievous bodily harm. In May, Public Prosecutor Pierluigi Cipolla had requested three years in prison for the police officer who first punched Gugliotta and two years for the others. In the end, the sentence was more severe, and the judge also ruled that the police officers should be banned from holding public office for four years and that Stefano Gugliotta should be awarded compensation of 40 thousand euros. Lucia Uva and Claudia Budroni, who were present in court with the Gugliotta family, expressed their satisfaction with the ruling.