Italian police raid Covid health pass protesters 'planning violence'
Italian police raided the homes and searched the computers on Thursday of eight people suspected of planning violence during protests against the country's coronavirus passport.
The suspects are members of a group on messaging app Telegram called "The Warriors", where the use of weapons and DIY explosives at "No Green Pass" demonstrations have been discussed, according to a police statement.
They were said to be planning to attend a protest this weekend in Rome but are also accused of "inciting the other members of the group to carry out violent actions" in their home regions against unspecified "institutional targets" or during visits by government ministers.
Some members of the group also planned a meeting where they intended to procure "white weapons" (non-firearms) for use at the Rome protest, the statement said.
The searches were carried out in Milan, Rome, Venice, Padua, Bergamo and Reggio Emilia.
READ ALSO:
- Italy set to release roadmap for workplace Covid ‘green pass’
- EXPLAINED: How Italy has tightened the ’green pass’ rules in September
- Italy to extend ‘green pass’ validity from nine to twelve months
Protests have been taking place across Italy since the 'green pass' was introduced on August 6th.
The health certificate shows if someone is vaccinated against Covid-19, has tested negative or recently recovered from the virus, and is required by everyone in Italy who wants to eat inside restaurants, take intercity trains and buses, and for teachers.
Italian authorities are now preparing to expand the scheme to workplaces, with plans to roll it out to employees across public and private sectors in stages.
It is the latest effort to try to control a pandemic that has claimed almost 130,00 lives since sweeping across Italy in February 2020, but has sparked small and occasionally violent protests.
The government is also considering making Covid vaccinations obligatory for the entire population in a bid to help Italy reach the target of vaccinating 80 percent of the population over the age of 12 by the end of September.
More than 39 million people in Italy - almost 73 percent of the population over the age of 12 - have now been fully vaccinated, according to the latest government data.
Comments
See Also
The suspects are members of a group on messaging app Telegram called "The Warriors", where the use of weapons and DIY explosives at "No Green Pass" demonstrations have been discussed, according to a police statement.
They were said to be planning to attend a protest this weekend in Rome but are also accused of "inciting the other members of the group to carry out violent actions" in their home regions against unspecified "institutional targets" or during visits by government ministers.
Some members of the group also planned a meeting where they intended to procure "white weapons" (non-firearms) for use at the Rome protest, the statement said.
The searches were carried out in Milan, Rome, Venice, Padua, Bergamo and Reggio Emilia.
READ ALSO:
- Italy set to release roadmap for workplace Covid ‘green pass’
- EXPLAINED: How Italy has tightened the ’green pass’ rules in September
- Italy to extend ‘green pass’ validity from nine to twelve months
Protests have been taking place across Italy since the 'green pass' was introduced on August 6th.
The health certificate shows if someone is vaccinated against Covid-19, has tested negative or recently recovered from the virus, and is required by everyone in Italy who wants to eat inside restaurants, take intercity trains and buses, and for teachers.
Italian authorities are now preparing to expand the scheme to workplaces, with plans to roll it out to employees across public and private sectors in stages.
It is the latest effort to try to control a pandemic that has claimed almost 130,00 lives since sweeping across Italy in February 2020, but has sparked small and occasionally violent protests.
The government is also considering making Covid vaccinations obligatory for the entire population in a bid to help Italy reach the target of vaccinating 80 percent of the population over the age of 12 by the end of September.
More than 39 million people in Italy - almost 73 percent of the population over the age of 12 - have now been fully vaccinated, according to the latest government data.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.