Death threats on the web evoking Nuremberg to escorted journalist Sandro Ruotolo

“And if you are seized outside your house?” They replied to the tweet in which he declared in favour of compulsory vaccination against Covid

OSSIGENO 4^th April 2022 – Insults and death threats were directed on the web at the escorted journalist Sandro Ruotolo, a senator enrolled in the political group, Gruppo Misto. They appeared on Twitter on January 17^th 2022 in reply to a tweet in which he declared himself in favour of extending compulsory vaccination against Covid.

Anti-vaccination supporters wrote anonymously “What if you are seized outside your house? – What if we extended #Nuremberg2 also to paid hacks? – What if we all come to Rome? “(read here)

The journalist has been living under police protection for almost 7 years due to threats from the organised crime syndicate, the Camorra.

On January 27^th 2022, Ruotolo filed a complaint with the Special Branch (Digos) in Rome to ask for those responsible to be identified. “I want justice, this is fascism; it is not an opinion, it is a crime “– said Sandro Ruotolo.

THE JOURNALIST – “Today threats almost always come via the internet, and mainly concern social tensions – Sandro Ruotolo told Ossigeno. – This is the new feature of the pandemic. The threats often come from the far right in socio-political demonstrations. We have also seen this with the threats to Dr. Viola and the infectious diseases specialist Bassetti, or with the many attacks on journalists who covered the marches of the demonstrators. Mentioning Nuremberg in the tweets against me made me think of neo-Fascist organizations. This is the context and it is not reassuring. Certain statements should not be underestimated. I filed a formal complaint with the Special Branch (Digos) to accumulate the evidence if, as I hope, the perpetrators are identified”.

SOLIDARITY – Ossigeno expresses solidarity and stands by the journalist, about whom it has often reported episodes of serious and repeated threats (see here) for which he has been given  police protection. There are also numerous expressions of solidarity from the worlds of politics and journalism.

LT