Lucrezia Ciotti A routine check on bus traffic escalated into violence outside a high school in Vicenza . A traffic controller from the Società Vicentina Trasporti (SVT) was attacked by a group of teenagers after he called out one of them for repeatedly using the bus's emergency button.
The incidents occurred on the morning of Monday, October 19, and prompted a reaction from the company, unions, and local politicians, with calls for increased controls and interventions to prevent further attacks.
The alarm on the bus, then violence at the bus stop: the conductor was shot in front of the students.
As reported by Il Giornale di Vicenza , it was around 7:35 when the bus reached the stop on Via Baden Powell, near the Canova Institute.
A few minutes earlier, during the ride to school, a boy had repeatedly pressed the emergency button , unnecessarily. The controller had intervened to stop him , but the reminder had triggered a violent reaction once they reached their destination.
According to the stories of some parents who witnessed the scene, reported by the local press, the worker was confronted by one or more youths and hit on the head.
During the attack, someone allegedly also forcefully pressed his face against the asphalt . A group of about fifteen boys, aged between 15 and 17 , gathered around the man : some of them witnessed the scene and encouraged the attackers, rather than intervene.
After the attack, the employee reportedly managed to get back on his feet and get back on the bus. Initial reports indicate no serious injuries, but the man was reportedly in shock from what he had suffered. The incident was confirmed by SVT, which may use footage from cameras installed on the buses to help reconstruct the events and identify those responsible.
SVT, unions, and the City Council are calling for action: "A concrete response is needed."
The incident has refocused attention on the safety of public transport staff . As highlighted by Il Giornale di Vicenza, SVT President Marco Sandonà strongly condemned the incident, ruling out the possibility of it being dismissed as a simple prank. " It wasn't a prank, but a real assault ," he stated, emphasizing the importance of respecting the regulations governing the service and the use of emergency equipment. The company also assured that it will support its employee and evaluate the necessary measures to protect him.
On the political front, City Councilor Giacomo Bez called for a stronger law enforcement presence in the Città degli Studi, including increased collaboration with the local police. He explained that approximately five thousand people, including students, teachers, and parents, congregate in the area every half hour during school entrances. Hence the request to improve traffic management and maintain high levels of vigilance, including against drug dealing. Bez also called for increased resources for the Police Headquarters and for collaboration between institutions, families, schools, and social services, emphasizing that the responsibilities of a few should not fall on the entire student population.
Adding to the delicate situation is another attack that occurred in the city a few days earlier . On October 14, a 33-year-old doctor was attacked by a group of youths in the city center, suffering a broken nose. Police had identified two minors, aged 13 and 16, in that incident. These two separate incidents brought the need to prevent violence in Vicenza back to the forefront of public debate.