Police in the northern Italian city of Bergamo were working Thursday to identify about 500 football fans who attacked a political rally to protest a controversial fan ID card system being introduced this season.
Atalanta supporters launched small bombs and flares late Wednesday night at the event, whose speakers included Interior Minister Roberto Maroni - who pushed for the new ID system - and two other ministers.
The ANSA news agency reported that two police cars and three other vehicles were set on fire.
One officer suffered a leg injury and two other police offers suffered smoke inhalation.
Italian football federation president Giancarlo Abete said that he is standing by the ID program, even if it means fewer fans at the stadiums - with season ticket sales down 20 percent league-wide.
''I'm worried, because the trend over the last three-four years, after the scandal, showed constant growth in fan attendance,'' Abete told Italian state radio RAI. ''It's not a positive signal but the problem with football isn't having more or less spectators, it's battling violence, and if we need to pay these prices so be it.''
