Venice: Five charged with assault, robbery; banned from city center

Venice police have identified and charged five people in connection with a violent assault and robbery of two young women near the Rialto Bridge on July 4. The group faces charges of robbery and private violence.

The local police force requested and received approval from the Questore of Venice, Antonio Sbordone, to implement a "Daspo Willy," a ban from the central area and "movida" nightlife zone for one to two years. This measure targets individuals involved in public disturbances and violence.

The incident began around 1 a.m. when the two victims were approached by a man and two women in a bar. They were reportedly told to lower their voices. After leaving the bar, the victims were accosted by a larger group of young men and women. During the assault, the victims' handbag, containing a phone, money, and documents, was stolen and thrown into the Grand Canal.

Local police reconstructed the events using witness testimonies and municipal surveillance camera footage. They identified the individual who stole the handbag. The investigation led to the charges against the five individuals.