Round fifty thousand euros. It is the request for compensation to the deputy mayor of Ferrara Nicola Lodi, made by a runner who was chased through the streets of the city by the politician, who had also posted his deeds on Facebook.

The facts took place in April 2020, in the toughest period of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lodi had chased the athlete, ordering him – complete with a megaphone – to stop and stop running as his activity was in violation of ministerial prohibitions. Then he shared the video of the chase on social media and triggered a shower of comments: hundreds of people had their say on the story, many insulting the runner.

The deputy mayor had already tried to apologize for what happened (he spoke of an "unpleasant episode, which occurred in very particular circumstances and of serious alarm"), but the runner, who was authorized to move around the city due to health problems and was in possession of certificates, he went forward in his cause. And now Lodi will have to defend himself from the accusation of defamation aggravated by his notoriety and the wide resonance of his Facebook page.

The opening of the civil proceedings is set for March 15th.

(Unioneonline/L)