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Rome declares area around Colosseum a 'red zone,' adding 24-hour security
New York Post • • world
Key Points:
- Rome has designated the area around the Colosseum as a "red zone" with 24-hour security due to a rise in crime, including predatory offenses and drug dealing.
- The Colosseum, Italy's top tourist attraction with over 7 million annual visitors, has seen incidents such as youths firing fireworks at police, injuring officers near the historic site.
- Authorities attribute the crime increase largely to groups of young individuals of non-EU origin and link it to the recent opening of the Roma Colosseo metro station, which also serves as a museum.
- The security measures, involving continuous police and military presence, were implemented in late August and will remain until December 24, but challenges like pickpocketing persist despite heightened enforcement.
- The red zone encompasses key locations including Termini train station, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, highlighting concerns in major tourist and religious sites.
