Investigation

Arrest of Tiziano L. in Rome: the counter-investigation refutes the police account

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On 5 October 2024, in Rome, Tiziano L., a 24-year-old student, was arrested during a demonstration in support of Palestine. Accused of assaulting a DIGOS officer, he faces up to four years in prison. Index analysed the videos of the incident: its findings contradict the police account of events.

Arrest of Tiziano L. in Rome: the counter-investigation refutes the police account (07:55)
Incident date
Location
Rome (Italy)
Victim(s)
Tiziano Lovisolo (24 y.o.)
Consequence(s)
Injury, Imprisonment
Force(s) involved
Special police, DIGOS (Italy)
Methods employed
Beating
Theme(s)
Partner(s)
Il Manifesto
Francesco Sebregondi, Filippo Ortona, Basile Trouillet, Guillaume Seyller, Nadav Joffe Francesco Sebregondi Investigation, Coordination, Direction Filippo Ortona Investigation, Analyse d’image Basile Trouillet Editing, Motion design Guillaume Seyller Investigation, Analyse d’image Nadav Joffe 3D modelling

On 5 October 2024, in Rome, during a demonstration in solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon, clashes broke out between protesters and the police. During a police charge, a 24-year-old student, Tiziano L., was arrested; he is accused of assaulting and kicking an officer of the DIGOS (the Italian police’s general investigations and special operations division – Ed.). To support their accusation, the officers added to the case file a series of screenshots taken from a video, in which a kick was, according to them, “clearly visible”.

Initially scheduled for 14 November, Tiziano L.’s fast-track trial was ultimately postponed to 2 December 2024. The charges against him carry a possible sentence of several years in prison.

Index analysed the many videos of the events in Rome available online and reconstructed the action in a 3D model, to check the officers’ claims. The counter-investigation, based on a detailed analysis of the videos, contradicts the officers’ account on several points, in particular:

  • The incident in which officer Luigi C. and Tiziano L. fell to the ground was set off by Luigi C. himself, who tried to stop Tiziano L. from getting out of the scuffle.

  • The available videos do not establish that the officer’s fall was caused by any deliberate action on Tiziano L.’s part.

  • Finally, the footage from before and after the officer’s fall shows that at no point did Tiziano L. kick out towards Luigi C.

Watch the video