by InTrieste
The governor of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Massimiliano Fedriga, has condemned a series of recent violent incidents targeting journalists and media workers in the cities of Trieste and Gorizia, calling them “unacceptable attacks” on press freedom and civil coexistence.
“The repetition of these unacceptable acts of aggression and intimidation against journalists and media professionals while they carry out their important work is a phenomenon that can no longer be tolerated,” Fedriga said in a statement on Wednesday. “Episodes like those seen in Trieste and Gorizia represent a serious attack on freedom of the press and on civil coexistence — fundamental values for a mature democracy in a civilized country such as ours.”
The statement follows incidents that occurred during pro-Gaza demonstrations on the evening of October 8, in which several members of the press were harassed or assaulted. Among those targeted were Riccardo Lazzari, a contributor to the local outlet TriestePrima, and journalist Fausto Biloslavo, who was subjected to insults outside the university campus in Gorizia.
In the days prior, three other journalists were attacked — two during a protest near the Trieste railway station and another outside the Leonardo aerospace facility in Ronchi dei Legionari.
Fedriga emphasized that the right to protest is enshrined in the Italian Constitution but warned against the escalation of violence. “The right to demonstrate must be guaranteed,” he said. “But it cannot and must not degenerate into violence, intimidation, or aggression — especially against those who carry out the delicate task of reporting facts and informing the public. These are dangerous and intolerable developments that risk turning our cities into places of chaos and tension.”
The governor expressed solidarity with the journalists affected and called on institutions to take firm action to prevent and punish such behavior. “I firmly condemn the violence and shameful insults that increasingly target journalists during public demonstrations,” he said. “It is the duty of institutions to intervene decisively to prevent and sanction such acts.”
Fedriga concluded by reaffirming the centrality of press freedom in democratic society. “Freedom of the press is a cornerstone of liberal democracy,” he said. “We cannot allow it to be threatened or undermined by violence. Defending those who inform means defending the rights of everyone.”
