Milan, June 17 (LaPresse) – The Milan Court has sentenced 10 anarchists to prison terms ranging from 1 year and 6 months to 4 years and 7 months for the riots that broke out during a demonstration in solidarity with Alfredo Cospito on February 11, 2023, in Milan. One defendant was acquitted on the grounds of minimal offense by judges Bertoja, Taricco, and Cantù Rajnoldi of the 10th Criminal Section. In some cases, the sentences exceeded the prosecution's requests, which ranged from 6 months to 6 years.
The charges included aggravated resistance to public officials, property damage, and masking one's identity, for having carried out “urban guerrilla tactics,” including "vandalism of banks and stores," "damage to two Enjoy rental cars," the throwing of "firecrackers and explosive devices," and the use of "smoke bombs to allow others to disguise themselves." Two members of the anarchist movement, already with prior convictions, received the heaviest sentences: 4 years and 7 months, and 4 years and 3 months respectively.
Nine of the defendants were not granted mitigating circumstances. The court's reasoning will be made public within 90 days. Defense lawyers Eugenio Losco, Mauro Straini, Iacopo Fonte, Margherita Pelazza, and Benedetto Ciccarone had argued for acquittals, stating that “some graffiti, water balloons or minor vandalism” cannot be equated with “urban warfare,” and that one cannot label as “criminal” those “fighting against something they consider deeply unjust,” such as the 41-bis prison regime and its “absurd implications.”