Turin prosecutor requests house arrest for officer who fired tear gas at fan's head before derby
Turin prosecutors have requested house arrest for a police officer who allegedly fired a tear gas canister horizontally at head height, seriously injuring Juventus fan Marco Basoccu before the May 24 derby.
The incident
On May 24, before the Serie A derby between Torino and Juventus, clashes broke out between rival ultras and police. Marco Leonardo Basoccu, a 36-year-old Juventus fan and accountant from Milan, was struck in the head by a tear gas canister. He suffered a severe skull fracture, was placed in an induced coma, and underwent delicate surgery at the Molinette hospital in Turin. He was discharged on June 9.
Investigation and charges
Turin prosecutors, led by Giovanni Bombardieri, reconstructed the events using extensive video footage from public and private surveillance cameras, drones deployed for public order, and testimony from fellow officers. They concluded that the canister was fired horizontally at head height by an officer from the V Reparto Mobile, in violation of standard procedures for crowd control. The steel casing of the canister, which failed to open properly due to the short distance (a few tens of meters), struck Basoccu directly.
The attentive and meticulous reconstruction of the facts... has made it possible to attribute the specific criminal conduct to the police officer against whom the precautionary measure of house arrest has been requested.
The officer is under investigation for aggravated assault. On July 3, he underwent a preventive interrogation before the judge, a step required by the Nordio reform before any restrictive measure can be issued. The prosecutor's office has requested house arrest; the judge's decision is expected in the coming days.
- Tear gas canister fired, injuring Marco Basoccu before Torino-Juventus derby
- Basoccu discharged from hospital after skull surgery and induced coma
- Police officer undergoes preventive interrogation before judge
- Prosecutor requests house arrest; judge's decision pending
Wider disorder
The investigation also identified over 50 ultras, mostly from Juventus organized groups Viking and Drughi. Ten fans were arrested in the immediate aftermath and later released with obligations to report to judicial police. Their positions are still under review.
Reactions
The victim's father, Pier Luigi Basoccu, expressed relief that the investigation had progressed.
I wasn't surprised to know who caused the damage... I had the pleasure to know that justice has taken its course. It wasn't an easy investigation, especially because it was against strong powers, the police.
The officer's lawyer, Paolo Chicco, said his client had cooperated fully with the judge and declined further comment, hoping other institutional parties would do the same.
