In the Italian capital, a demonstration for press freedom was held on Tuesday following the attack on Sigfrido Ranucci. Many prominent figures from the worlds of journalism and politics were present.

A non-political demonstration was organized by the 5 Star Movement in Piazza Santi Apostoli in Rome following the attack on Sigfrido Ranucci, the face of Report, who has been the victim of intimidation in recent days due to his journalistic investigations.

Sigfrido Ranucci, hosts the public television investigative program Report . On October 16, a bomb containing a kilogram of explosives destroyed his car, a few days after his team announced its investigation. The explosion caused no injuries.

On the same day, a seminar on the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize (named after the Maltese journalist murdered by a car bomb in 2017) was held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, attended by Sigfrido Ranucci himself, who later spoke on stage in Rome.

"After today, no journalist will feel alone again."

Freedom of the press, says Ranucci, surrounded by his team, means fighting to offer a better world to future generations. "If they thought they were stopping Report," he adds, " they will have the opposite effect. We have reached centers of power that did not appreciate being disturbed."

Stopping to talk with his fellow journalists, he points out that Italy has the highest number of journalists under threat in Europe and reaffirms the need for better protection and reform of SLAPP procedures. For example, by establishing sanctions for legal proceedings brought in bad faith or for serious misconduct.

He said he still hasn't gotten used to so many people, but spoke of the importance of the presence of the general public, gathered in the name of press freedom. "This is an important event for all those who practice this profession," Ranucci said. "I think that after this demonstration, no journalist will feel alone again."

"The Italian press is threatened, the attack on Ranucci has lifted the veil"

Many investigative journalists, as well as well-known figures who have long been committed to free and independent journalism, spoke out. Among them were Lirio Abbate, Marco Travaglio, and Rula Jebreal.

They denounce the crisis of freedom of information in Italy, which has fallen to 49th place in the Reporters Without Borders world ranking. Abusive legal proceedings and political interference in the public information service were discussed.

Francesco Cancellato, director of Fanpage.it, also spoke on stage. "The press in Italy is threatened on many fronts," the journalist said. "This attack is as if it has torn the veil. The fever is high, and we must act."

A delegation of the Fratelli d'Italia (FdI) on site

The demonstration was described as open and cross-party, and was attended by representatives of the majority, including right-wing and far-right parties, in addition to Giuseppe Conte, leader of the 5 Star Movement, and Democratic Party Secretary Elly Schlein.

Among them were FdI group heavyweights Lucio Malan, Galeazzo Bignami, and Giovanni Donzelli, who were present in the square. They too are here, Malan explains, because when it comes to press freedom, "there's no reason why we shouldn't come."