Rome student hailed as hero after stopping classmate's knife attack on teacher

On Friday a 13-year-old boy of Congolese origin intervened when a classmate attacked 66-year-old literature teacher Isabella Marsilio with pepper spray and a 20-centimetre dagger at a Rome middle school, preventing a potentially deadly assault. The school greeted the boy with a hero’s welcome, and Councilor Cecilia Fannunza praised his actions as averting a massacre. The incident has been forwarded to the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office, which is investigating four users linked to a live-stream of the attack and a subsequent online posting, possibly hosted from abroad.

Marsilio, who was not in life-threatening condition but was in shock, said she regrets not understanding the boy’s distress earlier and wishes to hug him. She also reiterated her stance on “remigration,” distinguishing the rescued student from criminal newcomers. Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara cited the case to support a proposal to prohibit social-media access for children under 15. The school principal emphasized the need for privacy and cooperation as the community processes the event.