Many Italian riders and the Italian ACCPI riders' association protested an Italian judge's ruling that hate speech against cyclists was not a crime.

The Italian cycling community is still in shock after the tragic death of Davide Rebellin, who was hit by a truck while riding near his home, just weeks after he ended his long professional career.

Other prominent cyclists have died in road accidents in Italy in recent years, including Michele Scarponi of Astana, and this week a Tuscan judge wrote on Facebook that "Investire un ciclista per educarne cento"-"100 cyclists. Hit one cyclist to educate one" was not a crime, the judge ruled.

The case arose after Dani Martinez, now a rider for Ineos Grenadiers, was hit by a car while training in Tuscany and subsequently attacked by the driver.

Someone wrote in a Facebook post about the attack that he would "run over one cyclist to educate 100 people," and Marco Cavorso, who is in charge of road safety at ACCPI and whose son died while training 13 years ago, accused him of "inciting a crime through the Internet." He denounced this person.

The judge ruled that the person was innocent because the crime did not exist under Italian law.

ACCPI appealed the ruling and asked people to post messages of support for the cyclist online.

"We publish people's messages because we want to respond to death and hatred with a love of life, the joy of riding a bike, and respect for all life, even those who insult and hate us and don't realize they have a loaded gun in their hands when they drive."

"We are very proud of the work of the ACCPI," said Cristian Salvato, president of the ACCPI.

"The outcome of the trial against one of the many cycling haters is the latest slap in the face we have received, but it will not stop us. We have to do it for our son and for all the cyclists involved," said Marco Cavorso.

Alessandro de Marchi compared the car to a loaded gun shortly after Davide Rebellin was killed. According to official statistics, 220 cyclists were killed and more than 16,000 injured in Italy in 2021.

"Those who hate us and think that our being on the road is a problem should realize that when they get in their cars, they have a gun in their hands and their finger on the trigger. I want you to think about what damage you can cause," he said in an emotional Instagram video (opens in new tab).

After the hate speech ruling, Jacopo Guarnieri expressed despair and doom over being hit by a car while training. He pointed the finger at those who did not speak out in defense of the cyclist.

"They would run me over while I was running. That would of course be someone's fault for 'not noticing me. But it's also the fault of incompetent politicians and people who are not averse to hate speech against cyclists," Guarnieri wrote on Twitter.

"If you are not part of the cure, you are part of the disease. Everyone is guilty."