Rome declares ‘red zone’ around the Colosseum, adding extra security to fight criminals
Suspected drug deals and predatory attacks have reportedly been perpetrated “by groups of young individuals of non-EU origin”, according to security chief Giannini.
He believes the recent opening of a new £6.1billion “Roma Colosseo” metro station – which connects the historic city centre to the eastern outskirts – has triggered the spike in attacks.
The red-zoned area includes the city’s main Termini train station, which is 1.2 miles from the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, which is located inside Vatican City.
The precautionary measure, which includes around-the-clock presence of local police and military, was taken in late August and will remain in effect until Dec. 24.
Rome has designated the Colosseum area a “red zone,” deploying 24-hour security to combat a spike in robberies, drug dealing and other crimes.
nypost.com