Milan, Italy – For the first time in its 36-year history, the satirical news program Striscia la Notizia’s mascot, the Gabibbo, was physically assaulted although reporting in Milan on Thursday, February 12, 2026. The incident occurred outside a city subway station as the Gabibbo, voiced by singer Al Bano for the segment, was questioning a young man about possessing a valid metro ticket.
According to reports from Striscia la Notizia, the young man responded that he was on his way to school before pushing and striking the puppet, causing it to fall to the ground. The assailant also stole the Gabibbo’s microphone during the altercation. Footage of the incident was captured by the program’s cameras.
“It is the first time since the Gabibbo was created (October 1, 1990) that someone has raised their hands against the most beloved puppet on Italian television, a favorite of children of many generations and a promoter, on Striscia la Notizia, of key civic battles,” a statement from the program read.
The Gabibbo was conducting a segment focused on fare evasion on the Milan metro and individuals illegally parking in disabled spaces, both ongoing investigations by Striscia la Notizia. The program has a long history of exposing such infractions across Italy.
Striscia la Notizia also has established ties to the island of Sardinia. Cristian Cocco, originally from Oristano, served as the program’s Sardinian correspondent for approximately 18 years, from 2000 to 2018/2019. His collaboration with the show was interrupted in December 2024 but resumed last year.
A previous segment featuring the Gabibbo, aired on the summer replacement program Paperissima Sprint in 2022, drew criticism for a perceived insensitive portrayal of Sardinian shepherds. The sketch, featuring presenter Roberta Lanfranchi and Sardinian native Davide Urgu, depicted Urgu as a shepherd who spoke an unintelligible language and was described as having an unpleasant odor. Lanfranchi commented that “the air is more breathable” after Urgu was removed from the scene. The gag sparked significant backlash on social media.
As of Friday, February 13, 2026, Milan police have not released information regarding any arrests or investigations related to the assault on the Gabibbo.
