Acireale, punitive raid against two young Egyptians: 17 under investigation

Fourteen young people from Acireale (Catania), between 20 and 25 years old, two minors, and a convicted felon from Acireale are under investigation for multiple aggravated injuries with the aggravating circumstance of having acted with the aim of discrimination and racial hatred and illegal carrying of objects capable of offending in competition.

The police, at the disposal of the Catania District Prosecutor's Office, carried out an order from the Catania investigating judge requiring a precautionary measure requiring signatures for the 14 young people and a residence ban for the man.

According to the reconstruction of the Prosecutor's Office, on 19 June 2025, in Piazza Duomo in Acireale, a "punitive raid" was organised, in which at least forty young people armed with clubs and pipes took part, against two very young Egyptians: one of the two victims apparently dated the ex-girlfriend of one of the attackers.

Thanks to the viewing of various videos from public and private video surveillance systems and videos uploaded to social media, investigators identified 17 people (including the two minors, against whom the judicial proceedings are separate) and verified that the attack had occurred using clubs, metal pipes and wrenches by the young people, many of whom had distorted faces.

"The attackers - explained the prosecutor Francesco Curcio - would have given rise to a real manhunt, which did not result in irremediable consequences only thanks to the quick wit of the victims and the timely intervention of the police squad".

The prosecutor highlighted how that attack had provided "an image of tribal violence indicative of a total absence of inhibitory counter-forces, sometimes aggravated by racial hatred, attacking two defenseless subjects with the use of weapons and expressing satisfaction with the media coverage the episode had through social networks".