High tension, with the use of violence, occurred late this afternoon in the Parliament of Rome when Five Star MP Leonardo Dono tried to hand over an Italian flag to the Italian minister for regional affairs, Roberto Calderoli, in protest against a reform that increases the fiscal and legislative autonomy of the regions.

Before reaching the seats of government, Donno was surrounded by deputies who, according to witnesses, belonged to the League party. “At the expense of the colleague of the Five Stars, the deputy of the League, Igor Yeci, has raised his hand,” said the secretary of the Italian Left, Nicola Fratogiani, who was in the room.

Speaking in a telephone connection with the TV channel La7, Leonardo Dono said a while ago that “someone hit him violently in the chest and he felt himself losing consciousness”. “I’m in the emergency room of the Santo Spirito hospital, luckily I’m feeling a little better,” the MP added. He made it clear that he is going to file a lawsuit against anyone responsible.

“Hands off our flag and ourselves. It’s a shame, it won’t pass you by,” emphasized Five Star captain Giuseppe Conte. The secretary of the center-left Democratic Party, Ellie Sline, also expressed her support for the “five-star” member of parliament, who condemned “the ever-increasing, verbal and even physical violence.”