Filippo Raciti

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Filippo Raciti (17 January 1967^[1] - 2 February 2007) was an Italian police officer ("ispettore capo di polizia") who died in violence between Calcio Catania supporters and police officers.^[2]^[3]

Born in Catania, Sicily, Raciti joined the Italian police in the June 1986, and was included in the local flying squad in late 2006. He lived in Acireale, in the Catania neighbourhood, with his wife and two children, aged 15 and 9.

A week before his death, Raciti gave evidence at the trial of a football hooligan, who was then freed by the local magistrate. According to one of his colleagues, the hooligan laughed in his face as he left the court.^[4]

Raciti died in Catania on February 2, 2007, after the end of the football derby between Catania and Palermo, because of liver damage^[5] caused by blunt object trauma, disproving an initial hypothesis which claimed his death was caused by a homemade firecracker.^[6]

Raciti's death, which brought all Italian football matches, even the national team, to be suspended for a week, caused strong emotion in Italy, with a great and somewhat uncommon amount of solidarity towards the Italian law enforcement forces, and massive coverage worldwide.^[7] A 17-years-old Catania hooligan was later jailed to be held in custody for the murder, and is currently investigated by the Italian police.^[8]

On February 17, 2007, the city council of Quarrata, in Tuscany, approved a proposal to name the local football stadium after the Italian policeman.^[9]. An official ceremony, also attended by Raciti's widow, was held on March 10, making Quarrata the first city to name a stadium after him.