Thirteen police officers have been notified by the Pisa Prosecutor’s Office of being under investigation in connection with the violent clashes that occurred on February 23 during a pro-Palestinian student protest. Many of the students involved, including several minors, were injured when police charged the crowd with batons, sparking widespread reactions.
The officers are being investigated for charges including excessive legitimate defense, culpable cooperation, and, in some cases, personal injury. The inquiry is focusing on three police officials and seven officers, some of whom were serving in Pisa and Florence. None of the individuals under investigation are currently stationed at the Pisa police headquarters.
As a result of the clashes, 15 students, 11 of them minors, were hospitalized with injuries ranging from bruises to mild head trauma and hand fractures. A 17-year-old was kept under observation for one day. Two police officers also sustained injuries, with recovery times varying from two days to longer for one official.
Susanna Ceccardi, an MEP from the Lega party, expressed her solidarity with the officers, asserting that they were acting in self-defense. “I am convinced they were trying to protect public safety under difficult circumstances and were attacked,” Ceccardi said, urging continued support for law enforcement. She encouraged the officers to carry on with their work confidently, trusting in a favorable legal resolution.
