The curvae at Bergamo and Taranto are likely to be closed for several matches once play resumes, and prefects are being given additional power to close stands, impose restrictions on travelling fans and even suspend matches.

There have also been some arrests in Bergamo, and suggestions that the charges against the cop may be raised to voluntary manslaughter.

Repubblica is carrying a story that is the first one that makes some sense to me on the basis of the information we currently have.

That of course doesn’t mean that it is true, but what it says is that the cop didn’t even know about the purported fight on the other side of the autostrada. All that he saw was a commotion accompanied by shouting, and then a car leaving the service area at speed. Thinking that there had been a robbery at the station, he turned on his siren to get the car’s attention, when they didn’t stop, he fired twice.

According to Repubblica’s sources, that version was known to the authorities soon after the incident, and then affirmatively obscured by everything they have said since.

Shortly after that story went up on the web, it was reported that the cop had been put under formal investigation for the Italian equivalent of manslaughter (not murder) and assigned to desk duty.

And less than an hour later, the chief of police in Arezzo began a press conference in which he is basically contradicting everything he said last night.

The highlight so far is the statement that the cop “probably aimed at the tyres, but doing so was very dangerous”. He has also said that while the police currently intend to challenge the manslaughter charge, “there may be an evolution of that position”.

There is also an eyewitness who has told Repubblica that he saw the cop fire with the gun with both hands and his arms fully extended.

Everything that has come out this morning indicates that the Repubblica sources almost certainly got it right, as least as to the facts. Only the cop himself can explain why he fired as he did.

Ursus is correct that the official line is that matches went ahead because to cancel just a few hours before kick off would make the situation worse. But it’s hard to avoid the suspicion that there was a financial motive. And perhaps a wilful underestimation on the part of some authorities of just how deep-seated and virulent the hatred of the police is in this country. Ultras hate the police at the best of times. When a policeman has just killed a fellow fan, what exactly did anyone think was going to happen today?

And ta for the links!

*The Italian National Olympic Committee, which is the ultimate governing body for all sport in the country, including football.

The agent shot from 30 meters away. And when it was already finished. This is the tragic tale from the friends of Gabriele Sandri.

“È vero che c’è stato un diverbio con alcuni juventini - hanno detto ancora - ma quando sono intervenuti gli agenti la cosa era già rientrata. Senza problemi. E invece quell’agente ha sparato dalla corsia opposta…”.

It’s true that there was an altercation with Juventus fans, but when the police intervened the issue was already settled. Without problems. And instead, the agent shot from the other side of the road.

È iniziato il pellegrinaggio di amici e conoscenti sotto casa di Gabriele Sandri, nel quartiere Balduina a Roma. I primi ad arrivare sono stati un ragazzo e due ragazze, una delle quali in lacrime. I tre, che sono apparsi molto turbati, hanno lasciato di fronte alla porta di casa di Sandri due mazzi di fiori. Su un biglietto c’è scritto: “nemici in campo, amici per strada. Bella, Gabriè”.

The pilgrimage of friends has begun to visit Gabriele’s home. The first to arrive left a card that said “enemies in the stadium, friends on the street. Bella, Gabriè”.

The matches went forward because of a judgment by the police and football authorities that suspending matches for which people had already gotten to the ground or were on their way risked inciting more trouble.

Events seem to have proven that judgment to have been wrong. We now have reports of a firecracker that has injured a caribinere at a Eccelenza match in the south, which has also been suspended.

A major focus will be on what happened in Bergamo, where after clashes between both sets of supporters and the police outside of the ground; the Atalanta curva decided to try to get the game stopped at any cost. At least five flares were thrown onto the pitch during the warmup and first few minutes of play, and they ultimately got their wish when they were able to create two holes in the plexiglass with an improvised battering ram. At least one fight broke out in another part of the stadium between guys who wanted to suspend the match and those who wanted them to play. Two of the Atalanta players came over to the Curva to try to get them to calm down, but to no real effect. The referee then took the teams off the field.

Roma-Cagliari has been cancelled by the FIGC at the request of the local police.

The Arezzo district attorney just concluded a very defensive press conference at which he claimed that both shots were “in the air” but that they can’t do a trajectory analysis asthey haven’t found the bullet or completed their inquiries with the cops involved.

The fact that it appears that the fatal shot came from 30 to 60 metres away, and hit the guy in the back of the neck make the “in the air” claim a bit hard to take seriously. It is starting to look as if the cop was trying to stop a car that was leaving a fight that was already over.

The family and lawyer of the guy who was killed are accusing the police of murder.

And the FICG President has suggested a complete ban on travelling support.

This is just getting worse.