Spate of attacks against police in Rome in recent days.

Rome police are coming under increasing attack from people who refuse to wear protective face masks under Italy's rules to contain the spread of covid-19.

A 22-year-old Italian man, who refused requests to wear a mask, attacked several vigili at the Trevi Fountain on the night of 25 August, leaving one of the officers with a broken hand and two others with slight injuries.

The man, who already had a criminal record, now faces charges of resisting arrest and injury to a public official.

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It is the latest case of Roman police being attacked by people intent on not following the mask-wearing rules in crowded areas.

In the early hours of 23 August a patrol of vigili came under attack at Ponte Milvio by a group of young people who refused to wear masks. Three people aged between 20 and 25 were reported. Two officers, a man and a woman, ended up in hospital to be treated for injuries.

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A similar incident occurred in Trastevere where two Italian men, urged by a patrol of carabinieri to wear masks during their walk in a crowded Piazza S. Maria in Trastevere, directed verbal abuse and threats towards the officers who responded by taking them to the police station where they were fined €400 each.

On 21 August Rome police fined an Italian man €400 for refusing to wear a mask among the crowd at the Trevi Fountain, after he made fun of the officers by saying "covid-19 doesn't exist."

In Italy masks must be worn in public areas where social distancing is not possible between 18.00 and 06.00.

Photo La Repubblica