Podcast Summary

Podcast: Circo Massimo – Lo spettacolo della politica
Episode Title: Meloni, Salvini e la danza macabra intorno a Rogoredo
Date: February 24, 2026
Host: Massimo Giannini (OnePodcast)

Episode Overview

This episode, hosted by Massimo Giannini, critically analyzes the political and media response to the recent Rogoredo shooting, where a police officer shot and killed a suspected drug dealer. Giannini focuses especially on how Giorgia Meloni, Matteo Salvini, and their allies have used the incident to attack the Italian judiciary and reframe debates about police powers and accountability. Drawing troubling parallels to international examples, Giannini calls out misleading narratives and the risks of undermining the rule of law.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. International Context: Hardline Policing Models

[00:26]

• Giannini opens with a quote from former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro:

  "Un poliziotto che non uccide non è un poliziotto."

• He notes this draconian view of law enforcement is not unique to Bolsonaro, but echoed in rhetoric by other right-wing leaders worldwide, including Argentina’s Javier Milei and the US’s Donald Trump.

Notable Quote:

"Non voglio esagerare, ma questo tipo di modello di gestione delle forze dell'ordine è comune a tante destre in tutto il pianeta..." (Massimo Giannini, 00:26)

2. The Rogoredo and Torino Incidents: Trigger for Political Narrative

[01:49]

• Giannini summarizes recent events:
  • In Turin, three individuals arrested during protests are swiftly granted house arrest; none had a violent record, and none physically assaulted police.
  • In Rogoredo (Milan), a police officer fatally shoots a drug dealer (Abderrahim Mansouri) in what was initially framed as self-defense.
• He elaborates how these events were juxtaposed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to underscore what she frames as judicial "double standards."

Notable Quote:

"Mi intendo anche qui visto che i magistrati in quella circostanza non avevano liberato i tre arrestati, li avevano mandati ai domiciliari con la precisazione doverosa che nessuno dei tre aveva picchiato il poliziotto e soprattutto ciascuno di quei tre era incensurato." (Massimo Giannini, 02:51)

3. Political Exploitation and Social Media Campaigns

[02:51]

• Meloni’s statements on television, without interrogation, reinforce the narrative of a lenient judiciary and criminalized police.
• Salvini, Donzelli, Bignami, and the Lega mount instant online campaigns under hashtags like #iostocolpoliziotto, collecting support and fueling calls for greater police legal protections.
• This response reflects a strategy to attack the judiciary and position the government against "politicized magistrates."

Quote:

"La polizia ha le mani troppo legate, dobbiamo slegarle..." (Donzelli, via Giannini, 02:51)

4. The Emerging Truth: Contradictions in the Rogoredo Case

[04:00+]

• New developments reveal that the police officer (Carmelo Cinturrino) is under investigation for voluntary manslaughter. Evidence suggests he staged the scene by placing a toy gun near the victim to simulate self-defense.
• Giannini evokes past abuses and coverups (G8 Genova, Aldrovandi, Cucchi), underscoring a pattern of excessive police force and the danger when institutions do not address lies or abuses responsibly.

Quote:

"Purtroppo ogni tanto capita che la polizia calchi la mano e anche, e questo è ancora più doloroso, che la polizia menta." (Massimo Giannini, 04:50)

5. Institutional and Legislative Response

[06:00+]

• Meloni’s latest communiqué, after the truth emerges, cautiously uses conditional language about the officer’s actions—unlike her earlier certainty in blaming magistrates.
• She asserts that no "scudo penale" (legal shield) exists for police officers, but Giannini exposes this as untrue. A recently passed security decree—originally designed to protect only law enforcement, and later amended to technically cover all citizens after intervention by President Mattarella—still functions as a de facto shield for police, pushing for rapid case closure (archiviazione) when self-defense is claimed.

Quote:

"Meloni ha mentito anche in questo comunicato nel quale dice che non c'è nessuno scudo penale dice il falso..." (Massimo Giannini, 07:40)

6. The Real Issue: Accountability and Apology

[08:20+]

• Giannini criticizes Meloni for omitting fundamental acknowledgment of how the political right exploited the Rogoredo case to attack another institutional pillar (the judiciary).
• He argues that, to prevent an authoritarian drift resembling Bolsonaro or Trump, Meloni and her ministers should apologize to the judiciary and the Italian public for their previous manipulations.

Memorable Closing Statement:

"Giorgia Meloni deve chiedere scusa. Deve chiedere scusa per quello che aveva detto nei giorni scorsi, lei con i suoi ministri. Deve chiedere scusa, dunque, ai magistrati e deve chiedere scusa a tutti gli italiani." (Massimo Giannini, 09:14)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|-----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:26 | Giannini (intro) | "Un poliziotto che non uccide non è un poliziotto." (cit. Bolsonaro) | | 02:51 | Giannini | "Mi intendo anche qui visto che i magistrati... nessuno dei tre aveva picchiato il poliziotto..." | | 02:51 | Donzelli (parafrasi) | "La polizia ha le mani troppo legate, dobbiamo slegarle..." | | 04:50 | Giannini | "Purtroppo ogni tanto capita che la polizia calchi la mano e anche, e questo è ancora più doloroso, che la polizia menta." | | 07:40 | Giannini | "Meloni ha mentito anche in questo comunicato nel quale dice che non c'è nessuno scudo penale dice il falso..." | | 09:14 | Giannini | "Giorgia Meloni deve chiedere scusa... ai magistrati e deve chiedere scusa a tutti gli italiani." |

Structured Timeline of the Episode

• 00:26 – Contextualization with Bolsonaro’s quote and authoritarian policing models
• 01:49 – Recap of Torino and Rogoredo incidents
• 02:51 – Media and political construction of the "double standard" narrative; government’s immediate reactions and PR campaigns
• 04:00–05:00 – Unravelling of the Rogoredo shooting case; highlighting the serious breach by the police officer involved
• 06:00–08:00 – Discussion of Meloni’s volte-face and the reality of the new legal protections for police
• 08:20–End – Calls for accountability and public apology; warning against political instrumentalization of such tragedies

Tone and Language

• Giannini’s tone is critical, analytical, and at times indignant—particularly regarding misinformation and manipulation by the political establishment.
• Throughout, he uses direct quotations, legislative references, and historical analogies to underscore the gravity of the situation and the importance of upholding institutional integrity.

Summary Takeaway

This episode unpacks the perilous interplay between security narratives, political expediency, and judicial independence in Italy, warning against the normalization of hardline, unaccountable law enforcement inspired by global authoritarian trends. Giannini insists that only truth, transparency, and humility from political leaders can safeguard democratic institutions—and that, in this case, apologies and corrective action are overdue.