Rome is set to introduce special security measures around the Colosseum over the next four months, designating the area surrounding the amphitheater and the nearby Imperial Forum as a “red zone” where heightened security checks will be enforced, according to reports from ANSA and DPA.
The regulations, as announced by the prefecture of the Italian capital, will remain in effect until December 24. The new rules will increase police presence around the Colosseum and intensify surveillance to enhance safety for the multitude of tourists visiting the site.
Visitors have frequently reported incidents of pickpocketing, with wallets and mobile phones being stolen by thieves, as well as cases of scams and assaults.
In an order signed by Prefect Lamberto Giannini, he emphasized the persistence of thefts and drug-related activities, primarily perpetrated by groups of young individuals from non-EU countries. The peak of these incidents occurred on July 1, when approximately 50 individuals resisted police during an unauthorized gathering in the Colosseum square, resulting in minor injuries to two officers.
The Colosseum and its surroundings are now included in a broader security plan that the municipality of Rome is already implementing in other parts of the city.
