Reuters (Rome) – Sixteen Roma supporters were barred from entering stadiums across Italy after performing the fascist salute with an outstretched arm during a home Serie A match against Atalanta, Rome police said in a statement released on Wednesday.
The bans range from one to five years and also apply to Roma matches played abroad and to the national team’s games, according to police. Four of the supporters will also have to report to police on Roma match days.
The fascist-style salute was made by fans in the Curva Sud section, where the most radical supporters sit, during a night match on September 5, in which Roma won 2-1 with two late goals by Mario Hermoso and Matias Soule.
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Far-right ideological manifestations are not uncommon in Italian football among ultras groups known as ultras. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has also linked some ultras to organized crime and to networks of far-right extremism.
The fascist salute is not explicitly prohibited in all circumstances in Italy, and courts assess the gesture on a case-by-case basis. It can be the subject of proceedings under laws that ban the revival of the fascist party and incitement to racial hatred.
