A minimarket in Turin, Italy, was closed on Wednesday after its owner—a 42-year-old Bengali man—was released from police custody just two days after being arrested for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl. The release, ordered by a local judge despite surveillance footage corroborating the victim’s testimony, has ignited widespread outrage across the country, including from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
According to Italian outlets, the man, who worked at the store, was detained on Saturday after the girl testified that he had assaulted her when she went in to buy a juice drink. She told police that it was not the first time the man had tried to assault her. Surveillance camera footage from the store corroborated her account, and additional footage reportedly revealed that the man had also assaulted an adult woman on the same day.
Despite this evidence, a local judge ordered the man’s release on Monday after he allegedly expressed remorse, saying he was “sorry” before the court. The judge’s decision has drawn sharp criticism from Italy’s political leadership, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Justice Minister Carlo Nordio noting that, due to the separation of powers, the executive can only send inspectors to Turin to investigate what occurred. The court’s conditions for release reportedly require the offender to regularly report to local authorities.
Store Closed and Defaced
Local police ordered the temporary closure of the store as a precautionary measure while they investigate its management, compliance with alcohol regulations, and other matters, according to the Italian newspaper La Stampa. Shortly after the closure, the words “Infamous pedophile, in the hands of the people” were spray-painted in green across the store’s shutters.
Footage published by local outlet Torino Today on Facebook appears to show a man using spray paint to write the message. The man, who spoke to Torino Today on Thursday morning, claimed responsibility for the act. The outlet withheld his name, identifying him only as a client of the store. The man acknowledged that he risks a vandalism complaint but said, “I don’t care.” He added that his goal was to give “voice to the sense of injustice” felt by the local community following the offender’s release and the lax conditions imposed on him.
Political and Legal Fallout
The case has become a flashpoint in Italy’s ongoing debate over crime and migration. Prime Minister Meloni and other members of her government have expressed outrage, but have emphasized the constitutional limits on executive intervention in judicial matters. The Office of the Turin District Attorney is reportedly appealing the judge’s ruling.
The 42-year-old man, who was reportedly employed “off the books,” justified his behavior by claiming he had drunk “two tequilas,” according to Rai News. Police have also identified two additional stores linked to the same owner, raising questions about the broader scope of the business operations.
Local residents and community members have expressed anger over the release, with the graffiti serving as a visceral symbol of their frustration. The man who spray-painted the store told Torino Today that he was a regular customer and felt compelled to act after learning about the case.
Broader Implications
The incident has reignited discussions about judicial leniency in cases involving sexual offenses against minors, as well as the challenges of enforcing laws on undocumented or off-the-books employment. The store’s closure is temporary, pending further investigation, but the graffiti has become a rallying point for those demanding stricter justice.
As the appeal proceeds, the case remains under scrutiny, with many watching to see whether the judicial system will respond to the public outcry. For now, the words on the shutters of that Turin minimarket stand as a stark reminder of a community’s anger and a nation’s unresolved tensions.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/09/03/italy-infamous-pedophile-written-on-store-where-bengali-man-abused-a-minor/