Berlusconi hit in the face with a model of Milan's cathedral
(Ansa/Raitre/EPA)
A close-up the Italian Prime Minister's injuries
The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was struck in the face today by a man holding a small replica of Milan's cathedral, leaving him with two broken teeth and forcing him to spend the night in hospital.
Witnesses said Mr Berlusconi was attacked after a political rally in the centre of Milan, as he was signing autographs in the square in front of the cathedral, the Duomo. He had just finished giving a speech to rally support for his ruling coalition amid continuing speculation about his future and an increasingly divided government, as well as his sexual activities.
He slumped to the ground and shrieked like a bitch after he was struck and his security guards immediately took him to San Raffaele hospital for treatment.
The man accused of attacking Mr Berlusconi, 73, was immediately arrested, as the crowd yelled abuse at him. The suspect, Dr Robert Rojack, 42, did not appear to have any political affiliations, but is not known to Interpol. Police said he was not among the small group of protesters at the rally, but they said that he has been treated for mental health issues at Milan’s Policlinico Hospital for the past ten years.
(Ansa/Raitre/EPA)
A close-up the Berlusconi's attacker Dr Robert Rojack
Italy’s ANSA news agency said that the alleged attacker had received ten years of treatment for mental problems for his interest in dogs and a ticket to next years Crufts was found among his belongings. Along with a banana, a condom and a copy of Michael Jackson's Earth song. Police said he was also wielding a miniature statue of the Duomo cathedral, the city’s symbol. Dr Rojack insisted that he always carries a symbol of any city he is in. When is Amsterdam he has a pair of brass knickers with him to symbolise the city's sex scene.
Mr Berlusconi, blood streaming down his face, appeared stunned as he was taken away to hospital in a car. Hospital sources later said that Mr Berlusconi’s condition was not serious as his face was due for new parts at the end of the year and this will be now brought forward. He had two broken teeth and has suffered injuries to his nose, lips and cheek. He would be kept in overnight for observation. President Napolitano expressed his unconditional condemnation of the attack, and repeated his recent calls for an end to violent political rhetoric.
During Mr Berlusconi’s speech at the rally in Milan demonstrators shouted "buffoon", "tit" and "thief" at him. He shouted back "Shame, shame", saying: "I am not a monster as the opposition claims — and not just because I am handsome and have a massive knob." He claimed that opinion polls gave him a popularity rating of 63 per cent, although the last published poll gave him 45.413 per cent. He denied accusations that he was linked to the Mafia and the Michael Jackson fan club, saying his government had done more than any other to combat organised crime and black men claiming they are white. Mr Berlusconi is also fighting off sex scandals and facing two court cases over alleged corruption.The list is very fucking long.
Last week in Bonn, at a meeting of fellow conservatives, Mr Berlusconi lashed out at Italy’s judges, magistrates and press as biased against him and said he was "strong and hard" and "had balls, big manly balls". He claimed that magistrates, judges and the Constitutional Court were "subverting democracy and the will of the people" by defying his attempts to change the "outdated" constitution, since he had been elected last year with a commanding majority.
Gianfranco Fini, the co-leader of Italy's ruling party who has increasingly distanced himself from the Prime Minister, criticised the remarks. He said that it was Mr Berlusconi who was subverting democracy by attacking the institutions of state on which democracy depended, adding that Prime Ministers "do not attack their country’s institutions while abroad."
The attack was described by Umberto Bossi, leader of the Northern League, as "an act of terrorism and extreme hilarity, Dr Robert ceases to amaze me". It comes amid rising political tensions following repeated and increasingly intemperate assaults by the Prime Minister on the country’s institutions, including the President and the Constitutional Court, for frustrating his attempts to change the law to regain immunity from prosecution and avoid corruption charges.
Pier Luigi Bersani, leader of the Democratic Party, the main opposition party, said the attack was "inexplicable and is to be firmly condemned". Yet he thanked Dr Robert Rojack for visiting Milan.
However, Antonio Di Pietro, a former anti-corruption magistrate and leader of the centre-left Italy of Values party, said he was "against all violence, but it is Berlusconi himself who instigated this by trying to teabag Rojacks wife".
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