Polish model attacked by immigrant gang in broad daylight in Milan

MILAN (LifeSiteNews) — A Polish model was harassed and beaten by a group of young men in central Milan, Italy, before being rescued by a passer-by.

On June 6, 30-year-old Polish model Anna Aksamit said she was followed, surrounded, sexually harassed, and physically assaulted by a group of young men in Milan shortly after 2 p.m., while walking to a supermarket near her home. The attack ended when an unidentified man intervened after hearing her screams and drove the group away.

The attack has prompted fierce debate about the safety of citizens and tourists in large Italian cities, where crime involving large groups of immigrants occurs almost daily.

“Without his intervention, I do not know what would have happened to me,” Aksamit said in an appeal aimed at finding the man who came to her aid. “I would like to meet him or at least know his name. I owe him a great deal, and I would like to thank him for what he did. It was an extraordinary act, a true hero’s gesture.”

Aksamit recounted that she was on her way to buy groceries when she noticed a group of young men, whom she estimated numbered between six and eight. She said some of them appeared to be drinking beer. Feeling uneasy, she crossed the street in an attempt to avoid them.

Changing direction did not prevent the encounter. She said the group began following her and soon caught up with her. The men surrounded her, touched her against her will, and then struck her repeatedly. Aksamit also stated that the attackers wanted to rape her and that she tried to resist. She said the situation escalated when she rejected them. She was then punched in the face, head, and abdomen by several members of the group.

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The model said that her cries for help attracted the attention of a “young muscular man” who stepped in after witnessing what was happening. She credited his intervention with preventing the situation from becoming worse and said he confronted the group alone before they fled.

“He also took a great risk by facing them on his own and without fear,” Aksamit said. “If I am here today, it is thanks to him.”

More than two days after the incident, her public appeal had not yet succeeded in identifying the man. Aksamit, who moved to Milan for work and has lived in the city since September, continued to seek information that could lead her to the person she describes as her rescuer.

The model also described the physical and emotional impact of the attack. She said she spent the night after the incident crying and remained deeply shaken by what had happened. She reported that one of her eyes continued to swell because of the blows she received.

Because of the shock she experienced, Aksamit said she was unable to provide a detailed description of the attackers’ faces; however, she recalled that they “were thin” and that some “were carrying beer bottles.”

The incident, which took place in one of Milan’s central districts in broad daylight, is the latest in a long series of daytime assaults and acts of violence in major Italian cities – including Rome, Milan, and Naples – targeting people on the streets.

While the identities of the attackers are unknown, the description provided by Aksamit recalls that of the “maranza,” who plague Italian cities – groups of young immigrants of north African origin, often unemployed, forming violent gangs. They move in groups, harassing and insulting people, often robbing and beating the most vulnerable victims – the elderly, women, and even children.