Rome court convicts far-right activists for storming union offices to oppose COVID vaccine passes

MILAN (AP) — A court in Rome has convicted the leader of a far-right party and six other far-right activists for rampaging through the headquarters of Italy’s most powerful labor confederation during a protest against COVID-19 certification requirements for workplaces. All received prison sentences of eight years and two months to eight years and seven months on Wednesday. Several hundred participants from an October 2021 demonstration against a Italian government decree requiring vaccine certificates to return to work tore through the headquarters of the left-leaning CGIL labor union. Police say they foiled repeated attempts to reach the offices of Italy’s premier and the seat of Parliament.