23-year-old woman seriously injured in the face after knife attack on Milan metro, 27-year-old Algerian arrested

A knife attack at the Duomo station of the Milan metro has left a 23-year-old woman seriously injured.

A 27-year-old man of Algerian origin has been arrested, with Italian authorities charging him with causing permanent facial disfigurement, serious injury, and resisting law enforcement officers.

According to initial findings, the incident was recorded on Thursday afternoon on the platform of the M3 line. The suspect approached the young woman, accusing her of looking at him, and after a verbal exchange, first punched her. He then pulled out a small knife and struck her, causing a deep cut stretching from the corner of her mouth to her neck. Doctors are determining whether the injuries will be permanent.

Witnesses said that during the conflict, the suspect addressed the victim with the words: “You are a woman. I am a man and a Muslim. You should not look at me.”

These statements are being analyzed by investigators, who are trying to determine whether the attack may have been motivated by hatred toward women or by religious motives.

Immediately after the incident, the attacker fled the area, but a few minutes later he was caught by Local Police patrols on Via Torino, several hundred meters from the metro station.

The investigation found that the same person had been detained in the early hours of that same day for attempted aggravated theft. After expedited court proceedings, he had been released with a ban on remaining in Milan, but only a few hours later he is suspected of carrying out the attack on the metro.