Fights between gangs in Prato, 24 minors reported and searched

(ANSA) - PRATO, 06 MAY - 24 boys, between 14 and 17 years old, have been reported in Prato for fighting and serious injuries after investigations conducted by the police and carabinieri, coordinated by the juvenile prosecutor's office, after last February 21 in the gardens of via Colombo they met.

There was violence between two factions, one of Chinese, the other of Italians, as well as of Albanian and Moroccan origins.

   They would have given rise to two brawls, both arising from trivial reasons according to the first reconstructions, but the second was carried out with brutal violence and ended with several injuries.

One of them, also among the accused, was hospitalized in red code and operated on the head for a cranial fracture, probably hit with a hammer.

    The Flying Squad and the Carabinieri of Prato carried out 24 personal, home and IT searches on as many minor suspects, including the most seriously injured, the Prato native hit on the head with a blunt object that could be a hammer.

He too is being investigated as a participant in the brawl and has suffered, in addition to the fractured skull, other serious injuries.

    Sunday 21 February there was the most serious brawl that pitted two groups of kids who faced each other with blows and hitting each other with blunt objects of various types.

On the spot, called by the many phone calls of witnesses amazed by this violence, the carabinieri and several 118 ambulances intervened. Among the requests were also those of a 14-year-old, a 16-year-old and a 19-year-old boy.

All had eye problems from a pepper spray used in the brawl.

Witnesses had spoken of at least 15 young people involved in the riots, which began on the basketball court and then also continued outside the gardens, but the confrontation could also have involved others since the suspects have risen to 24. (ANSA).