Milan officer hurt in October clashes receives threatening letter
Angelo De Simone, the police official injured by a stone during 17 October Milan clashes, received a letter wishing he had been left comatose, Italian media reported.
A senior Milan police officer struck in the head by a stone during clashes on 17 October has received an anonymous letter saying it was a shame he had not been left comatose, Italian media reported.
The typed and signed letter, dated 20 October, was sent to Angelo De Simone, head of Milan's Garibaldi-Venezia police station, Il Messaggero reported. The sender said they had followed the officer's injury in press and television coverage at the time.
De Simone was struck by a large cobblestone, known in Italy as a sampietrino, during two days of clashes that disrupted central Milan on 17 October, as he coordinated officers near the city's Stazione Centrale and Porta Garibaldi. A fellow officer at the scene showed the paving block that had struck him, Il Messaggero reported. Images from the scene showed De Simone wiping blood from his face and cleaning his glasses with a handkerchief as he kept directing his officers, without stopping for treatment. He was later treated in hospital and received several stitches.
"We can't afford to stop," De Simone said two days later, as he returned to duty in Piazza Duomo, Il Messaggero reported. At the time of the clash, he described the stone attack to colleagues as attempted murder, the paper said.
De Simone was promoted to chief superintendent after heading the Greco-Turro police station in 2020, later leading the anti-crime division at Novara's police headquarters before returning to Milan, Il Messaggero reported. He has more than twenty years of experience in public order policing, the paper said.
The letter also contained generic references to the 2001 Genoa G8 protests before turning to personal abuse directed at De Simone and his officers, Il Messaggero reported. Police are investigating to identify the sender, whose signature is illegible.
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What we know
- Angelo De Simone, head of Milan's Garibaldi-Venezia police station, was struck in the head by a cobblestone during clashes in central Milan on 17 October.
- He received a letter, dated 20 October and sent anonymously, saying it was a shame he had not been left comatose, Il Messaggero reported.
- De Simone was treated in hospital and received stitches, returning to duty in Piazza Duomo two days after the clashes.
- Police are investigating to trace the letter's sender.
Not yet confirmed
- The identity and motive of the person who sent the letter have not been established.
Figure history
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Why it matters for Europe
De Simone has also been deployed to other flashpoints in Milan this year, including pro-Palestinian marches and protests involving football supporters near Stazione Centrale and Porta Garibaldi, Il Messaggero reported. He has worked in public order policing for more than two decades, most recently leading the anti-crime division at Novara's police headquarters before returning to Milan.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 1 countries.
- Adnkronos: Scontri al corteo di Milano, lettera choc al poliziotto ferito: "Dovevano spaccarle la testa, peccato che non sia in coma"
- TGCom24: Scontri del 17 ottobre a Milano, lettera di minacce al dirigente di polizia che era rimasto ferito
- Il Messaggero: Poliziotto ferito negli scontri di Milano, la lettera minatoria ad Angelo De Simone: Peccato non le abbiano spaccato la testa
Source balance
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Intelligence file
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Confidence and impact scores, the full situation report and the event timeline.
Questions and answers
- Who received the threatening letter?
- Angelo De Simone, head of Milan's Garibaldi-Venezia police station, who was injured during the 17 October clashes.
- What happened on 17 October?
- Clashes disrupted central Milan and De Simone was struck in the head by a cobblestone while coordinating police.
- Has anyone been identified as sending the letter?
- No. The letter's signature is illegible and police are investigating to trace the sender.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.