Italy police raid Covid 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.
The Green Pass 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.
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.
More than 39 million people in Italy -- almost 73 percent of the population over the age of 12 -- have been fully vaccinated.
