Six young people charged with assault on disabled person in Belgioioso; video shared on social media
In the Pavia province, carabinieri have charged six young people, including a minor, in connection with the beating of a 33-year-old man with disabilities. Images of the violence were posted on social networks.
Assault filmed and circulated online in Pavia province
The group allegedly attacked the man at three separate times during the same night, 12 September, in the area of the intersection between Piazza Vittorio Veneto and Via Cairoli in Belgioioso. According to the carabinieri's reconstruction, the six young people assaulted him for trivial reasons. After completing the beating, they recorded what was happening and posted the videos on social networks. The 33-year-old, who has a disability, became a victim of what investigators describe as a "media spectacle" in addition to immediate physical and psychological trauma.
The consequences of the assault were significant. The man sustained physical injuries and psychological trauma severe enough to necessitate admission to a therapeutic community, where he receives specialised care. The circulation of the images exposed his identity and condition to an uncontrolled audience, constituting, according to investigators' hypothesis, unlawful treatment of personal data.
The Belgioioso carabinieri have charged the group to the Pavia Public Prosecutor's Office and the Public Prosecutor's Office for Juveniles in Milan. Among those charged is a 16-year-old boy. The suspected offences include aggravated personal injury committed in concert, aggravated defamation, and unlawful treatment of personal data. Failure to provide assistance and violation of provisions against cyberbullying are also being contested. As reported by Il Fatto Quotidiano – Cronaca, it remains to be clarified what specific role each of the six young people played in the different phases of the incident.
Source: Il Fatto Quotidiano - Cronaca