TWO HARDLINE ‘ULTRA’ supporters with connections to AS Roma have been arrested and charged with attempted murder following a violent assault on a group of Tottenham fans in Rome.
Around 10 visiting supporters from the Premier League club were injured in the attack on a pub in the early hours of Thursday morning.
It was immediately believed the attack was carried out exclusively by hardline supporters from Serie A club Lazio, who hosted Tottenham in a Europa League match last night.
But it has since emerged two of those arrested have connections to Lazio’s bitter city rivals AS Roma, and the attack may have been carried out by a far right group with anti-Semitic leanings. Tottenham has long had an association with the Jewish community in London and eyewitnesses reported hearing anti-Semitic insults during the attack.
Newspaper reports Friday said police had arrested 26-year-old Francesco Ianari and 27-year-old Mauro Pinnelli — identified as having connections to Roma — and charged both with attempted murder. Both were arrested thanks to the CCTV cameras installed in Rome’s Campo Fiori area.
One of the injured men, identified as Ashley Mills, had suffered cuts to the head which left him in a serious condition in hospital although he is now reported to be out of danger. Gazzetta dello Sport said Ianari’s telephone was a “precious” piece of evidence which showed him helping to plan the attack with an ultra from Lazio. He was identified as the assailant who jumped on a bus and started boasting to passengers of the role he played in the incident.
The English fans were drinking in the Drunken Ship pub when up to 40 people charged into the pub, blocked exits and started the assault using tables, chairs, iron bars and monkey wrenches.
Owner Marco Manzi told Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper Thursday:
“Everything looked planned, they were extremely organised. They blocked the second exit and were even armed with tear gas. They managed to isolate the English and started hitting them with bars, chairs and tables.”
Lazio president Claudio Lotito immediately condemned the attacks but said he would make no further comment until the facts had been established.
“These kinds of acts must always be condemned but from the information we currently have it is not clear this assault is the work of Lazio fans,” the report quoted him as saying.
I saw the picture of the spurs fan,looks like he was split with an axe,horrific stuff,the Italians are years behind the British in stamping this mindless violence out,credit where it’s due,it’s 100 times safer to visit English games then European matches,they should ban ALL Italian clubs from Europe until they clean up there act
One European game I would live to go to would be lazio and Roma and just pray to god that I get out alive!
It’s on my bucket list!!
Make sure it’s last on your list so you get everything else done first.
Swimming with great whites in South Africa is another so either way I think focked!!
So because of the actions of a few thugs, you ban ALL Italian clubs from European competition? Bit of an over-reaction don’t you think!
Lazio ultras are well known for there neo nazi beliefs. Utter racist gobshïtes.
Seen a picture today of the wound on the spurs fans head and he’s lucky to still have a head I’d say. Not a pretty site at all.
Agreed but this was as Roma fans or so called fans I thought lazios statement was bizarre last night but the obviously knew more than was being let on at the time
Spurs fans can’t get a break first arsenal batter them, and now this ..
I don’t have any sympathy for the English when it comes to these attacks, it’s not like the English fans are saints themselves!!!
Oh so it’s ok for this guy to nearly get beaten to death for supporting his team and having a few drinks after. What an intelligent comment
What an utterly stupid asinine comment – do you live in a cave?
That would be like me saying that all Roberts were dunderheaded mouthbreathers based solely on your comment.
“That would be like me saying that all Roberts were dunderheaded mouthbreathers based solely on your comment.”
I know a decent, intelligent Robert. As for this one above, it’s defective and angry. Send it back.
I’d fancy my chances more with great white sharks,unless they are Lazio supporting sharks,then your buggered
An example of a few ruining the game for the majority of fans!
As an arsenal fan I want to extend my sympathies to the spurs fans in Rome what went was disgraceful sadly not the first time this has happened in Rome