A 41-year-old Romanian engineer was arrested in northern Italy, in the province of Bergamo, after he entered a church drunk and tried to set fire to the altar. The incident ended with a confrontation with the carabinieri, who detained him.
According to local authorities, the man was found sleeping in the church of San Lorenzo Martire in Alzano. The parish priest asked him to leave. In a fit of rage, the Romanian lit some candles near the altar and threw them on a carpet, risking causing a fire inside the church.
The parish priest, alarmed, immediately called the carabinieri, who promptly intervened, according to Primabergamo.
Once intercepted on the street, the Romanian became aggressive and attacked the carabinieri, hitting them with his fists and legs.
Before the judge, the man stated that he worked as an engineer in Romania, but after losing his job in Italy he ended up living on the streets, facing financial problems and excessive alcohol consumption.
Investigations revealed that this was not the first such incident.
His Italian record shows several similar episodes in recent weeks, which prosecutors say indicate repetitive and unpredictable behavior.
The prosecutor’s office requested preventive arrest to prevent new acts.
