Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni bluntly branded a Milan judge’s decision to release Youssef Siher, the alleged organizer of the recent violent riots in the city as a “shameful” decision.
“I believe this is an unbearable affront to the work of law enforcement, investigators, the Ministry of the Interior, and, in general, all those who strive to protect law-abiding citizens from the risk of seeing their cities and businesses destroyed,” Meloni said in brief video published on her official social media accounts.
“I truly do not know how a normal state can protect law-abiding citizens in the face of such decisions by certain members of the judiciary,” she added.
Youssef Siher, a 30 year-old man of Moroccan heritage and a veteran of the pro-Palestine movement in Milan, was arrested by local law enforcement agents over the weekend and stands accused of being the organizer of the so-called “October 17th Movement,” a group that is attributed with staging the violent Milan riots that took place in recent days.
Additionally, a separate and ongoing investigation against Siher was launched by the Genoa Public Prosecutor’s Office into allegations that he is involved in a complex scheme providing financial support to Hamas.
According to Italian outlets, Siher was located at a friend’s apartment alongside his wife, Sagia Hammoud, at the time of the arrest. Hammoud, is also being investigated on potential “incitement to commit a crime” charges for allegedly helping Siher manage the Telegram and Instagram accounts used by the “October 17th Movement” to stage the protests.
However, after spending four days in preventive detention, Milanese Preliminary Investigations judge (GIP) Tiziana Landoni ordered Siher’s release — rejecting a motion presented by the local prosecutions local anti-terrorism unit seeking a pre-trial detention against Siher.
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The public broadcaster Rai detailed that Judge Landoni alleged that there is “no serious evidence of guilt” against Siher that could warrant the detention — as, according to Tandoni, the Moroccan man “never suggests resorting to violent actions” in his posts and statements.
Furthermore, the judge reportedly determined that Siher did not appear to have cited the violent Milan riots “as a model for carrying out the forms of protest and collective mobilization he proposed.” Per Rai, the judge based her assertion on grounds that Siher “did not even mention” the riots “Nor can it be said that the suspect incited or instigated the commission of such conduct.”
Rai observed that following Siher’s release, Judge Landoni has been fiercely criticized through a barrage of social media posts and comments.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini also condemned the release of Siher through a brief social media video — which he prefaced by ironically saying that Youssef Siher is a “classic” Italian name.
Salvini pointed out that the judge that released Siher is one of the signatories of a 2025 “jurists’ appeal for Gaza” document.
“I ask the judge and Youssef: if there is more violence, more incidents, or more damage during the demonstrations in Milan and throughout Italy in the coming days, who will pay?” Salvini asked.
“Will you pay? Your Honor? Will you pay? Mr. Youssef?”
As Breitbart News reported, Deputy Prime Minister Salvini warned during a recent interview that Islamo-leftist represents the greatest threat to the West, pointing to the recent wave of violent protests and riots that have rocket Europe in recent weeks.