Italy's Minister of the Interior Giuseppe Pisanu has called on the country's police to suspend soccer matches every time supporters display banners inciting racism or political violence.
"I have invited the forces of public security to apply the existing laws with the maximum severity and suspend matches every time messages are displayed inciting political violence, racism or xenophobia," Pisanu told today's La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Pisanu's call came after AS Roma fans held up neo-Nazi and anti-Semitic banners during a 3-0 win over Livorno in Serie A at the weekend - the latest in a series of incidents to tarnish the image of Italian football.
Roma have been ordered to play their next home Serie A fixture at a neutral venue and behind closed doors by the Italian Football League disciplinary committee.
Last season, Roma were ordered to play their final two Champions League group stage matches behind closed doors after Swedish referee Anders Frisk was struck on the head by a coin thrown from the stands during their opening game at the Olympic Stadium against Dynamo Kiev.
Also last season, Inter Milan fans brought the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against city rivals AC Milan to a halt when they rained flares and firecrackers down on to Milan goalkeeper Dida.
The continuing problem of football violence prompted Italy's parliament to pass a law last July known as the "Pisanu Law", aimed at curbing the worst excesses of violence in the country's stadiums.
The law allows police to arrest fans suspected of causing trouble up to 36 hours after a match on the basis of video evidence.
It also made provision for stadiums to be shut down if police reported violence inside or outside, or if offensive banners were displayed by fans.
The law has reduced the level of violence in Italian football, but done little to curb racism or prevent fans and players airing their extreme political views inside stadiums.
Last November, Messina's Ivorian midfielder Mark Zoro threatened to walk off the pitch after he suffered racial abuse during a Serie A game against Inter.
Lazio's former England-based striker Paolo Di Canio has twice been handed fines and one-match bans for making fascist salutes at the end of Serie A matches against Livorno and Juventus.
So far the most extreme punishments allowed by the Pisanu law have not been applied.
Pisanu's latest call hinted at a new get-tough policy, though he also defended the decision of Rome's police chief, Marcello Fulvi, not to suspend the match between Roma and Livorno at the weekend.
"A forceful intervention or the suspension of the match in the tense situation that existed would have put many peaceful fans at risk of getting hurt," he said. "The police chief's decision therefore cannot be interpreted as weakness."
