A passenger holds a cellphone displaying COVID Green Pass QR code in Rome, Italy, on July 20, 2021. The COVID Green Pass will be mandatory to enter restaurants, cafes and other eateries in Italy starting from Aug. 6, the government announced Thursday.Photo:Xinhua

Italy's government was under growing pressure on Monday to dissolve the Forza Nuova neo-fascist group involved in violent weekend protests against a government drive to make the COVID-19 "Green Pass" mandatory for all workers.

Since its foundation in 1997, Forza Nuova has repeatedly been accused of using violence against immigrants and police. Along with the CasaPound group it is the main neo-fascist organization still active in Italy.

Twelve people, including Forza Nuova leader Roberto Fiore, were arrested and 38 policemen were injured in clashes on Saturday night, when thousands of protesters took to the streets of Rome. One group broke into the headquarters of the CGIL trade union. 

Workers will from Friday have to show a digital or paper "Green Pass" certificate demonstrating they have received at least one vaccine dose, have tested negative or recently recovered from the virus.

Italy is the first country in Europe to make such vaccine certification mandatory in order to accelerate vaccinations and stamp out coronavirus infections.

On Monday, the center-left Democratic Party (PD) presented a motion in parliament calling on Prime Minister Mario Draghi's administration to dissolve Forza Nuova and all political movements of neo-fascist inspiration.

On Monday evening, Forza Nuova's website was forced offline by a court order following allegations that the group had used the site to encourage criminal activity in the country.

After meeting Draghi at the union's headquarters, CGIL leader Maurizio Landini said the government had pledged to discuss the dissolution of Forza Nuova in the coming days, without giving further details.

Reuters