The President of the Republic was scathing in his comments on the debate sparked by the jeweller’s case: “Adapting the law to individual behaviour amounts to the state abdicating its responsibilities.” He then took a swipe at the left: “Let us not hesitate to condemn the unacceptable violence in Val di Susa”

“These protest groups active in Val di Susa do not want any discussion about the high-speed rail link, but simply reject it, just as they reject any infrastructure, which they see as an expression of unbridled capitalism and imperialism”

“The acts of violence at the Chiomonte construction site constitute terrorism. The relevant prevention and enforcement measures must be applied,” says Andrea Padalino, a former public prosecutor in Turin. “The judiciary has shown itself to be too weak and ideological”

The timeframe for completion of the Tav has been extended. It is now expected to come into service by the end of 2033. This is not solely down to the No Tav hooligans, of course: the hesitations, second thoughts and lengthy review imposed by the yellow-green and yellow-red governments have also contributed to slowing down the project’s progress