Late on Friday, authorities confirmed that close to one hundred individuals violently stormed the newsroom of the historic Italian daily La Stampa in Turin.

According to early information released by the newspaper, the intruders threw objects, spray-painted threats and moved through the newsroom chanting slogans tied to Palestine, Israel, and the editorial stance of the paper.

The incident occurred during a day marked by mass demonstrations against Giorgia Meloni’s government and a general strike affecting multiple sectors, including journalism, which has been demanding improved labor conditions and professional rights. 

La Stampa reported that roughly half of the attackers wore balaclavas while the others remained barefaced. Security staff were unable to stop the breach.

Once inside, the group shouted “journalist, terrorist, you’re first on the list” and left graffiti such as “Accomplices of Israel” and “Fuck Stampa”.

These messages, set against the broader debate on Middle East coverage contributed to a tense national climate, intensified by criticism of alleged government military deployment for crowd control. 

The Italian government’s reaction

Political reactions were swift. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the newspaper’s director, Andrea Malaguti, to express her “solidarity” and condemn the incident.

A government statement described the break-in as “extremely serious” and deserving of “the strongest condemnation”. Meloni noted that the group consisted of “pro-Palestine movements”, adding to the sensitivity of an attack connected to the contentious media debate on the Israel conflict. 

Italian President Sergio Mattarella also expressed his solidarity and “firm condemnation” of the assault on a national media outlet. Protecting pluralism, the presidency emphasized, includes defending newsrooms critical of the government —a role La Stampa has historically played regarding Meloni’s administration. 

In a statement, the newsroom committee described the event as “a very violent attack against our newspaper and a severe blow to press freedom”.

They stressed the “despicable” nature of the act, which took place on a day when journalists across Italy were striking for a renewed collective bargaining agreement to safeguard “democratic, free and plural information quality”. 

Despite the attack, La Stampa’s staff affirmed they will continue working: “We are journalists and we will keep doing our job without being intimidated.” The newsroom resumed operations