Italy’s deputy PM demands chemical castration for attackers who ‘gang-raped 13-year-old girl in public toilets’ as his party calls for suspects who entered the country illegally to be deported

Italy’s deputy prime minister has demanded chemical castration for the attackers who allegedly raped a teenage girl in public toilets.

Matteo Salvini said the girl was “raped by a gang of seven Egyptians” and that there is “only one remedy: chemical castration,” which his Lega party will soon propose.

Another member of his party, MEP Annalisa Tardino, added: “We remain committed to the idea that chemical castration is necessary for rapists and pedophiles, life sentences for similar cases, and greater safety in our cities.”

The 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted at Villa Bellini Park in Catania, Sicily, on January 30 at around 7:30 PM while she was walking with her 17-year-old boyfriend.

A group of young Egyptian men aged between 15 and 19 forced the girl and her boyfriend into a public toilet, where some of them held the boyfriend down, while two others allegedly raped the girl.

The seven male suspects – three of them still minors – are said to have illegally entered Italy as ‘unaccompanied minors’ between November 2021 and March 2023. La Repubblica reports.

Tardino called for “immediate repatriation” of the suspects. ‘In Egypt they would never have allowed such behavior. The safety of our children must be a priority everywhere,” she added.

A group of young men forced the girl and her boyfriend into a public toilet (pictured), where some held the boyfriend down while two others raped the girl.

Matteo Salvini (pictured) said the girl was ‘raped by a gang of seven Egyptians’ and that there is ‘only one cure: chemical castration’, reports the Sun

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni – who was in Catania this weekend on a pre-arranged visit – said she was shocked by the rape. She expressed her condolences for the victim and her family and promised that “justice will be served.”

The girl said two of the suspects grabbed her, while the others grabbed her boyfriend.

‘And they took us into the bathrooms of the villa. It was a nightmare, there was no one there at the time,” the girl told La Repubblica.

She said she tried to free herself, as did her friend, but they were unable to overpower the seven teens.

Two of them allegedly raped her while the others watched. She said, “And they forced my friend to watch too.”

‘He was screaming, he was desperate. I said, ‘I beg you, I beg you, don’t hurt me, let me go2.’

The rape lasted 30 minutes until the couple were finally able to break free and escape. They immediately alerted the Carabinieri, who captured the group within 24 hours.

The victim has identified the two minor suspected perpetrators of the rape, police said yesterday.

The rape in the public toilet (pictured) lasted 30 minutes until the couple were finally able to break free and escape. They immediately alerted the Carabinieri, who captured the group within 24 hours

The girl was raped at around 7:30 PM on January 30 in the Villa Bellini Park in Catania, Sicily (photo)

One of them was said to be one of the rapists, while the other was one of the boys who watched and stopped the girl’s boyfriend.

DNA evidence successfully linked one of the three minors to the rape, the prosecutor confirmed.

Although the girl was reportedly only able to identify two of the attackers for fear of incriminating an innocent person, her boyfriend identified the other five. Corriere reports.

According to the Public Prosecution Service of Catania, the seven suspects are accused of sexual gang violence.

Two of the suspects – one of them the oldest of the group at 19 years old – reportedly assisted in the investigation. Both say they watched the attack but claim they did not rape the girl.

Four adults have been arrested, while the three minors are being held at the Precautionary First Reception Center in Catania.

One of the minors tried to escape but was caught when he returned home to grab some clothes, La Repubblica reported.