Overview

• Officials reported unspent bullet casings at the scene bearing engravings including “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao,” “hey fascist! CATCH!” and a homophobic slur.
• Deutsche Welle notes the phrase was found on an unspent casing linked to the man accused of the killing, though any connection to motive remains unproven.
• Bella Ciao is widely known as an Italian anti-fascist anthem, with a melody traced to the early 20th century and lyrics first documented in the 1950s.
• The song has surged through global pop culture via Money Heist, Far Cry 6, remixes and TikTok, and it has been repurposed by protest movements from Europe to the Middle East.
• Scholars and explainers caution against assuming a single meaning for the reference on the casing as investigators continue to examine context and motive.