An Italian priest who has fought crime and drug trafficking in Rome for years faced a "violent mob attack" in the Italian capital.
Don Antonio Coluccia, 49, who lives under protection around the clock due to numerous threats from criminal organizations, was reportedly attacked on Sunday night with boards, bottles and sticks in the Quarticciolo neighborhood of the capital, where he was leading a march. against crime.
"Your time is running out - we will kill you," someone is said to have shouted from a window as the attack took place in the street below.
The priest, targeted by a mafia group for his outspokenness and for turning the confiscated home of a mob boss into a home for the poor and drug addicts, was quickly whisked away by officers to safety from his security detail.
"I will be back. I am committed to serving the city," Coluccia told Roma Today on Tuesday after news of the attack became public.
In the following, he said, "I will always strive for justice for the honest citizens who live in this neighborhood. On Sunday I had stopped talking to some young people and then what happened. The situation here is dire."
Luisa Regimenti, a security adviser for the Lazio region, said: "It was a violent mafia attack. I am sure that Don Coluccia will not be intimidated, but on the contrary will redouble his efforts to restore dignity and hope to the many honorable citizens who live in the neighborhood."
This is not the first time that Don Coluccia has faced aggression or threats from criminal groups. The violent warnings began in 2014, when Coluccia's home and car were vandalized. In June 2015, two people opened fire on him.
In August 2023, a man tried to run him over with a scooter in Tor Bella Monaca, a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Rome. The attacker was subsequently arrested for attempted murder. Last winter, in the same neighborhood, garbage cans were set on fire inside yards where Coluccia was expected to be present.
Dozens of priests across Italy have been victims of mob attacks and intimidation.
