• Rome, taxi driver attacked and beaten: "Help, my car is stolen"

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by Tiziana Di Giovannandrea 17 February 2020 40 minutes of absolute terror were experienced at dawn by a Roman taxi driver who, in a suburban street in the Montespaccato-Boccea area, was the victim of a real aggression by 3 men of Ecuadorian nationality accompanied by an Italian. One of the attackers was arrested shortly after by the police and ordered a direct trial.

"It was 40 minutes of terror, I was really scared", the 47-year-old taxi driver, father of a 10 year old boy, confided with a colleague. Some condominiums of a building in the area, awakened by the screams and requests for help from the driver of the taxi, they filmed the scene with their mobile phone and immediately informed the police.

How the facts unfolded
According to what was reconstructed by the Police, the taxi driver starting from Via Casilina (East area of ​​Rome) accompanied 4 customers in the West area of ​​the city, in the Montespaccato-Cornelia district. When they arrived at their destination in via Rivarossa, the attack began probably because the passengers did not want to pay for the ride.

The taxi driver then told investigators that he had gone to the Olympic Stadium last night to see Lazio. He had come home and had begun his shift at dawn. Around 5 o'clock he got four people into the taxi, three Ecuadorians and one Italian, for a journey from Casilina to Montespaccato. Once arrived at the destination, the Italian went down with the excuse of taking the money to pay for the ride. The other three customers suddenly immobilized the taxi driver and beat him, causing several facial bruises. Finally they also tried to steal the car, failing in the venture because it is a hybrid model, a Toyota Yaris: not knowing how to drive it, they made it end up against a wall.

In the meantime, the taxi driver started shouting for help. "They are stealing my car, help me." Some passing motorists stopped to help him. The taxi driver, rescued on the spot, was reported with a 7-day prognosis.

One of the attackers was arrested while the other two, who fled, and the woman are actively sought. For the arrested expected direct trial. It is a 25-year-old Ecuadorian citizen who reacted by opposing the detention when the police officers from the Flying Department arrived. The agents arrested the young man on charges of robbery, injuries, interruption of public service and resistance to public officials.

Tough stance from the unions
The aggression that took place today, the unions immediately pressed, "is only the latest in a long series". "For years we have been asking for the installation of cameras and anti-robbery systems, but we are promptly sent back to the sender. This morning is the fourth attack reported in Rome in a short time against the taxi drivers who, let us remember, perform a public service with a duty to provide" , says UGL category manager Alessandro Genovese. "I hope that in the face of this latest act of violence - adds the trade unionist - the mayor Raggi and the president of the Lazio region do not shrug yet".

Solidarity from the mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi
"Solidarity with the taxi driver attacked with kicks and punches and kidnapped last night in Rome. I hope that those responsible for this vile episode are all brought to justice," the mayor Virginia Raggi wrote on Twitter.