Police have arrested a man following a violent sexual assault near Rovigo train station. A second suspect remains on the run.
The attack took place on Monday, July 14, when two foreign nationals allegedly assaulted an Italian woman. After an initial attack at the station, the victim was taken to an abandoned nearby building. It was there that the rape occurred. She is now recovering with injuries requiring at least 40 days of medical care.
Surveillance footage helped police identify and arrest a Moroccan man, now in Rovigo prison. Police continue to search for the second man. The State Police’s Flying Squad and the Railway Police carried out the investigation.
Veneto Regional President Luca Zaia expressed his support for the victim. He called for the second attacker to be found swiftly. “I hope the investigation will bring him to justice,” Zaia said.
Rovigo Mayor Valeria Cittadin condemned the incident. “These events are unacceptable. This is not just a crime; it’s a cultural failure,” she said. She demanded stronger policing and announced a security meeting at the Prefecture for July 18.
Cittadin called for greater control at the train station and a permanent security presence. “Rovigo must be a place of safety, dignity, and legality,” she said.
Regional councillor Laura Cestari (Lega Intergruppo – Liga Veneta) issued a statement expressing her “closeness and solidarity” with the victim, calling the attack “horrific” and “cowardly.”
“Our city welcomes only those who respect the rules and values of civil coexistence,” Cestari declared. However, according to the councillor, there is no room for those who commit crimes of this kind. “The only possible solution is to return home.”
“We trust in the work of law enforcement to identify and bring to justice those responsible,” she added, “and we hope the judiciary will impose the maximum penalty.”
