The Italian government, tied up with a political crisis at home, remained silent yesterday in the face of stinging criticism from Britain over policing of Saturday's Italy-England soccer match. The head of the British government's Football Task Force, Mr David Mellor, said police should be ashamed of themselves, and the English Football Association said it would set up an urgent inquiry into ticketing arrangements.
According to an Interior Ministry spokesman the minister, Mr Giorgio Napolitano, did not "want to get involved in a row with the British government".
"There was a soccer match, measures had to be taken to maintain public order and as far as we're concerned the story ends there."
The prime minister's office said it had no comment to make.
The British Sports Minister, Mr Tony Banks, stepped into the dispute, saying there was "no excuse for innocent people being clubbed by Italian police officers indiscriminately: there is no excuse for that whatsoever, any more than there is an excuse for the mindless minority who go there to cause trouble".
While the Italian government played down the dispute, rightwing opposition MPs blamed the British government, English soccer chiefs, authorities and travelling fans.
"Only bare-faced cheek could prompt the British government to criticise the Italian police," four members of the far-right National Alliance said in a joint statement. "The Prodi government, anxious to stay in Blair's good books, has not hit back at those making these accusations."
Police said 16 people had been charged with public order offences and resisting arrest. Three English fans appeared in court yesterday morning and were given eight-month suspended sentences. Sixty-nine people, 33 of whom were English, were injured in clashes.