Irish rugby fan arrested in Rome after trying to ‘grab soldier’s machine gun’
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Irish rugby fan arrested in Rome after trying to ‘grab soldier’s machine gun’

AN IRISH rugby fan who was in Rome at the weekend for Ireland's Six Nations game against Italy was arrested for allegedly trying to take a machine gun from a soldier.

The man was part of a group of Irish supporters who Rome Police say were singing and screaming outside the city’s Spanish embassy.

In a statement on their official Facebook page, the Corpo di Polizia Locale di Roma Capitale said the man was “drunk” when he began to goad members of the anti-terror military to challenge him.

The statement read: "Rome Police arrested an Irish fan who threatened soldiers.

"Tense moments on Saturday night culminated in an arrest, because of a group of fans of Irish nationality.

“The incident happened around 7pm on Saturday night.

“Around 20 passing fans were singing and screaming in front of the Spanish embassy where a military jeep was stationed when one of them, drunk, began to mock the military up to challenge him.”

The statement added: “The situation gradually deteriorated when the fan started to shove the military, trying to grab a submachine gun.”

They added: "He was arrested and taken to the office."

Police said that after being taken to the police station, the arrested man spent a night in a cell waiting to be taken before a judge on charges of ‘violence and resisting a public official'.

The man was transferred to the San Giovanni hospital where medical checks were carried out.

Ireland claimed a comprehensive 63-10 victory over the Azzurri in the Italian capital on Saturday evening.

Tries from Keith Earls, Garry Ringrose, CJ Stander and Craig Gilroy ensured a much-needed win for the men in green after a shock loss to Scotland a week previously.