‘Stay home you murderer!’: populist policing of COVID-19 in Italy

Italy was the first European country to experience impact of COVID-19. In order deal with health emergency, in early March 2020, Italian government enforced strict lockdown measures. The different police forces, Polizia di Stato, Carabinieri and city forces (Polizia Municipale), patrolled streets, ensuring that people stayed at home non-essential shops remained closed. These received unprecedented support from public enforcing lockdown. People were active their neighbourhoods, taking pictures alleged violators reporting them police, as well posting those violating rules on social networks. Local administrators encouraged citizens report violations case Rome, introduced an online system. This article focuses policing Italy. develops argument attitudes, defined below, combined above by local administrators, produced a populist Qualitative methodology is used discuss interviews officers analyse newspaper articles. Populist political are hegemonising Italy, relying feelings insecurity virus has embittered. hegemony strongly influenced problems related COVID. lack community or plural models within organisation which remain combination continental colonial models, been decisive development policing. consequence this type ‘policing demand’, providing intelligence demanding enforcement.