By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
ROME (Worthy News) – The Jewish community and others in Italy were reeling from violent weekend protests over the death of Ramy Elgami, a 19-year-old Egyptian man, following a police chase in late November.
Protests involving pro-Palestinian demonstrators and others descended into chaos late Saturday as crowds threw smoke bombs, bottles, and incendiary materials at police while setting garbage bins ablaze, witnesses said.
The unrest left at least 18 officers injured and caused extensive property damage, particularly in Rome and Bologna, according to authorities and other sources.
In Bologna, a synagogue was also targeted, prompting outrage from the city’s mayor, Matteo Lepore.
He expressed “solidarity” with Italy’s “Jewish community” of some 45,000 people for the “acts of vandalism and threats against the Bologna Synagogue” as well as shop owners who suffered damages in the unrest.
“The entire historic center has been destroyed. This is not a political demonstration—it’s pure vandalism,” he added in published remarks.
The synagogue in Bologna was attacked, and the words “Justice free Gaza” were sprayed onto the wall alongside Elgami’s name, witnesses said.
‘DELIBERATE TARGET’
That prompted the president of Bologna’s Jewish community, Daniele De Paz, to declare Sunday that the synagogue was “a deliberate target” for the protesters.
He noticed that they had broken through police barricades and made their way to the synagogue before “hurling Molotov cocktails, explosives, and fireworks at it” while shouting threats and curses.
While no culprits were identified as of Sunday, Jewish sources reported that members of pro-Palestinian groups were among the demonstrators.
Israel’s Ambassador to Italy, Jonathan Peled, expressed his solidarity with the Bologna Jewish community on Sunday, saying the attack on the synagogue was “a serious antisemitic attack which must be condemned with absolute firmness.”
The president of the Italian Senate, Ignazio La Russa, noted the damage done to the synagogue in a social media message, saying that “no justification [and] no tolerance is admissible for these episodes.”
In a statement through their lawyer on Sunday, Elgaml’s family condemned the violence perpetrated in their son’s name in what is the European Union’s third-largest economy of almost 60 million people.
While the statement did not explicitly mention the synagogue, it did say they “strongly condemn all forms of violence and vandalism that have occurred in the demonstrations.”
RESPECTING MEMORY
“We believe Ramy’s memory should be a symbol of unity, not of division or destruction. We dissociate ourselves from any political use of our son’s name,” they said
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also denounced the violence, which she attributed to “usual troublemakers” who “exploited” the situation for revenge rather than protest.
“Between fireworks, smoke bombs, and aggression, we witnessed yet another disgraceful episode of chaos last night in Rome,” Meloni said in an overnight statement monitored by Worthy News.
“This was not about supporting a cause but about unleashing destruction. A tragedy cannot be used to justify violence,” she stressed. “Our solidarity goes out to the police officers, and we wish those injured a swift recovery. We stand firmly with them.”
The unrest was triggered by the death of Ramy Elgami, a 19-year-old Egyptian living in Milan. On November 24, 2024, Elgami was riding on the back of a scooter driven by a Tunisian friend who sped through oncoming traffic, according to investigators.
Both men were reportedly known to authorities for prior offenses. When police tried to stop them during a routine check targeting drugs and alcohol violations, the pair refused to comply, prompting a high-speed chase, police said.
The pursuit ended when a police car collided with the scooter, causing it to crash.
ELGAMI’S DEATH
Elgami died at the scene, while the Tunisian driver was arrested, Worthy News learned.
Police reported finding 1,000 euros ($1,024) in cash, a broken gold chain, a stiletto knife, and pepper spray in his possession.
Officials confirmed that a formal investigation has been launched into the actions of the officer driving the police car involved in the crash.
Lawyers representing the two men allege the collision was intentional, claiming the scooter was deliberately rammed.
The latest tensions come amid broader upheaval in Italy’s society over the treatment of the growing number of migrants from mainly Muslim nations in the EU nation.
The clashes have also underscored discontent among especially pro-Palestine activists and Middle East and North African communities about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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