Italian Prime Minister, Slivio Berluscone, Injured in Attack at Political Rally in Milan

Italian PM injured in attack at political rally

    ROME, Dec. 13, 2009, (Xinhua) --

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was attacked, injured in the face by a protester and hospitalized shortly after a political meeting in Milan on Sunday evening.

    Berlusconi was signing autographs when a man from the crowd threw at him a statuette representing the Milan Dome, making his nose and mouth deeply bleed, state-run television RAI reported.

    Under shock, the prime minister was then rushed into a car and driven away to a nearby hospital for first aid assistance. Upon reaching the hospital Berlusconi told a member of his staff that he was "feeling well."

    However, the prime minister's conditions are serious according to the doctor in charge of him. He has suffered a severe nose trauma, broken one of his teeth and injured his lower lip.

    The prime minister would spent the night at the hospital and be kept under medical control for 20 days, the doctor explained.

    The attacker was a 42-year-old man called Massimo Tartaglia, allegedly suffering from serious mental problems. Following the blow the police immediately arrested him.

    Tartaglia approached Berlusconi as he was leaving a rally of his People of Freedom (PdL) party, aimed at increasing support in advance of the March regional elections.

    The man hid among a small group of protesters who were shouting slogans and whistling at the prime minister. Then, unnoticed by the security, he threw the statuette at Berlusconi's face.

    According to people who spoke to Berlusconi, the prime minister said to be "very disappointed and afflicted by the attack, which is the result of all the poison" lately thrown at him.

    He added, however, that he will not let the episode affect him, stressing that "I am still here and no one can stop me."

    Undersecretary of State Paolo Bonaiuti said the attack was part of the campaign of hate and violence launched against the prime minister.

    "This is the consequence of the political tensions of these days. While we were in the car going to the rally Berlusconi told me to be very worried and said he hoped nothing would happen," Bonaiuti recalled.

    "But unfortunately this time something very serious did occur," he said.

    Italy's political scene has been lately rocked by fierce contrasts between the opposition and the judiciary on one side, and Berlusconi and his center-right government on the other.

    The prime minister has repeatedly accused the "communist left" of conducting a personal fight against him.

    All Berlusconi's allies condemned the assault linking it to the on-going political tensions and hate campaign.

    Two hours after the assault, a new "Tartaglia fans club" had opened on Facebook Italy, strong of already 9,000 supporters.

    President Giorgio Napolitano urged political and institutional forces to "tune-down" and recover a peaceful dialogue.

    Before being hit, at the rally the prime Minister had lamented that he was constantly being "painted as a monster, but I don't think I am one."

    He expressed optimism and promised the government would survive the many "unjustified attacks" by the opposition and judiciary.

    The prime minister had gone on listing the many successful actions so far undertaken, such as in the fight against the Mafia.

Editor: Yan

Former Italian premier bloodied by attacker

Emilio Parodi | Reuters   

Arab News, December 14, 2009

MILAN -

 Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was rushed to hospital covered in blood with a broken nose and teeth after a man with mental problems hurled a statuette at him at a rally, officials said on Sunday.

Berlusconi was bundled into a car, with blood spattered over his face, and rushed to hospital after the assault. The media mogul had just ended a speech to thousands of supporters in a square behind the cathedral in the northern city of Milan.

The 73-year-old prime minister said "I'm fine, I'm fine" as he arrived at the hospital, the Ansa news agency said.

His personal doctor, Alberto Zangrillo, said the premier had suffered a fractured nose, two broken teeth and cuts to his lips that required stitches.

He said Berlusconi would be kept in overnight for observation and would need up to 15 days to recover.

"This is truly a bad day for Italy, and it's the duty of all the political forces to ensure that Italy does not go back to the years of violence," said Gianfranco Fini, Berlusconi's top conservative ally, one of many to denounce the incident.

A 42-year-old man who has been under treatment for mental problems for 10 years was detained for throwing a souvenir plaster statuette of the cathedral at Berlusconi from close range, police said.

The incident triggered an outpouring of solidarity for Berlusconi from allies and critics alike, just as the prime minister seeks to regain political momentum after a bruising year battling mounting legal troubles and sex scandals.

The billionaire businessman has portrayed himself as a victim of "communist" magistrates, biased media and jealous lefists.

Berlusconi's spokesman said the premier had confided his fears of a "climate of hate and aggression" against him as they traveled together to the rally.

"What they've done to Berlusconi is an act of terrorism," Umberto Bossi, head of the far-right Northern League and a close Berlusconi ally, told Ansa. "An oppressive climate has been felt for some time and what's happened today is a worrying sign." A number of ministers and supporters gathered at the Milan hospital where Berlusconi was spending the night.

The attack came after a speech that had been billed as politically significant.

Berlusconi launched a familiar tirade against the left and rattled off a list of government achievements, in a characteristically feisty performance aimed at shoring up his standing and ratings, but revealed no shifts in strategy.

After a summer dodging accusations of an improper relationship with a teenager and parties with escorts, Berlusconi has come under pressure lately from a widening rift with Fini and a growing list of legal headaches.

Stripped of immunity from prosecution, Berlusconi faces several trials, including one on charges of bribery and corruption and another on charges of tax fraud. An opinion poll published on Saturday indicated his popularity had fallen four percentage points to just over 50 percent as Italians fretted that his legal entanglements could distract him from government duties.

He denies any wrongdoing and says judicial allegations against him are part of a politically-motivated campaign by biased courts and judges to bring down his government.

In 2004, an Italian bricklayer hurled a camera tripod at Berlusconi, injuring him slightly on the head.