A car belonging to prominent Italian investigative journalist Sigfrido Ranucci was destroyed in an overnight explosion in Pomezia, near Rome, in what authorities have described as a grave act of intimidation against the press.
Ranucci, who anchors Report, a hard-hitting investigative programme aired on RAI public television, was unharmed in the incident.
However, the blast damaged another vehicle belonging to his family and also affected a neighbouring house, the show announced on Friday.
“The explosion was so powerful that it could have killed anyone passing by at that moment,” Report said in a statement posted on X.
Reacting to the incident, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the attack, describing it as a “serious act of intimidation.”
“The freedom and independence of information are non-negotiable values of our democracy, and we will continue to defend them,” she declared on X.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi also denounced the attack as “cowardly and extremely serious,” noting that it targeted both the journalist and the broader principle of press freedom. He disclosed that Ranucci’s personal security had been strengthened “to the maximum level.”
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Report is renowned for its investigative coverage of corruption, organized crime, and abuse of power — topics that often put its journalists in the crosshairs of those they expose.
According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Italy currently ranks 49th globally in press freedom. The organization warns that journalists probing organized crime and corruption in Italy face constant threats and, in some cases, physical assaults.
RSF estimates that around 20 Italian journalists currently live under round-the-clock police protection due to ongoing threats linked to their work.
Authorities have opened an investigation into the explosion, as security forces move to uncover those responsible for the attack.