Within hours of the death mourners had created an impromptu memorial for the
77-year-old in the square, leaving notes and candles at the foot of a tree
near to the spot where he shot himself. One of the notes read: “It was
a murder, not a suicide”.
Later around 1,000 protesters gathered, reportedly organised through social
media websites, and violence flared up among a minority. Riot police
resorted to using tear gas and flash grenades to clear the area after being
pelted by rocks and petrol bombs.
Prime Minister Lucas Papademos issued a statement saying that the death was
“tragic”. “In these difficult hours for our society we must all –
the state and the citizens – support the people among us who are desperate,”
he said.
Italy has also reportedly seen suicides due to economic worries, with a
59-year-old shooting himself in Rome yesterday after claiming that his
company was failing. Opposition politician Antonio Di Pietro criticised
Prime Minister Mario Monti for his economic reforms and said that he had
suicides “on his conscience”.