An Italian football fan hit a female TV reporter with a punch in her buttocks during a weekend game to highlight violence against women.
Greta Beccaglia, a journalist with Italy’s Toscana TV, was reporting live from outside the Carlo Castellani stadium in Empoli where Fiorentina lost 2-1 to the hosts in a Serie A clash.
Beccaglia was speaking with despondent Fiorentina fan following the game, when two men approached her behind.
In a bizarre display of sexual harassment, one of the men made an appearance to spit in the journalist’s hand before striking the journalist on his buttocks.
Beccaglia looked visibly upset and turned towards the men before wagging her fingers. She then said: Sorry, you can’t, I’m sorry.
The men made quick exit, before another fan got in shot and started to spit at the camera.
This incident occurred in the immediate aftermath of the match in which players wore a “give violence against women the Red Card” campaign sign on their cheeks. It was the week of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Nov. 25,).
Beccaglia was talking to Fiorentina fan who were depressed after the match when two men approached from behind.
After he had been caught on camera spitting in his hand, one of the men grabbed her bottoms and slapped it live.
Greta Begaglia, a journalist for Italy’s Toscana TV, regularly covers the top-flight Italian football league Serie A. On Saturday, a fan molested her live as she was reporting live from Empoli’s Carlo Castellani Stadium.
Beccaglia, visibly shocked and disillusioned, turns to confront them, but her male host tells her, “Don’t get mad, don’t be upset.”
The Order of Journalists of Tuscany blasted the incident as “very serious episodes of harassment” and condemned the deplorable conduct of the fans, saying that it occurred on a day of greatest focus for the fight against violence against females.
Beccaglia was publicly supported by the order, and she said that it was unacceptable for her to repeat what happened.
“It was recorded live because I was working, but it was unfortunately not captured on television. However, we all know that such harassment occurs to other women without their cameras being turned off. She told Corriere Fiorentino that it cannot happen and should not.
“Everyone was screaming, and I felt helpless. Fans shouldn’t behave like this. You know what also hurt me? I didn’t hear anything from anyone around me. All of us saw the situation, but none did or said anything.
Meanwhile, her male colleague Giorgio Micheletti who hosted the interview from Toscana TV’s broadcast centre has incurred harsh criticism from viewers after he did not condemn the actions of the men involved, instead simply telling his reporter ‘don’t get angry, don’t get upset’.
Some commentators suggested that Beccaglia’s co-worker is using the same “patriarchal rhetoric” that allows such acts of sexual violence. He has also been criticised for failing to condemn the incident and stopping the live stream.
Beccaglia attempts her best to get back on track shortly after the incident.
Beccaglia, for her part, has told Corriere Fiorentino Micheletti was a serious professional who did not fully understand what was going on and that she ‘apologised many time and invited me to share what happened and report it’.
According to Corriere Fiorentino, police in Empoli are currently investigating the incident and reviewing footage from Toscana television as well as CCTV footage around the area, to attempt to find the culprits.
Beccaglia was sexually harassed at Empoli while thousands of Rome protestors lined the streets, protesting violence against women.
In Rome, large numbers of protestors were visible in an event to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It was held on Thursday.
The day is celebrated on November 25 each year after it was first made official by the United Nations (UN) in 1999, and the protest in Rome was just one of several which took place across Europe.
As part of the Commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (November 27, 2021, Rome), Italy), thousands took part in the demonstration organized by Non una di meno, a feminist movement.
Hundreds of women also filled the streets of London on Saturday in protest against rape and male violence against women.
On Saturday, demonstrators held placards up and shouted slogans while marching from the Marble Arch to Golden Square at Piccadilly Circus.
Anneliese Dodds was Shadow Secretary for State for Women and Equalities and joined the demonstrators as she called on them to shut down the capital with a powerful speech through a megaphone.
The Reclaim The Night annual event was made up of women only. This march began at the heights of the Yorkshire Ripper killings in 1977.
This year, after a string of harassments against women at night, this event takes on a whole new meaning.