Venice's right-wing mayor has ordered cops to shoot anyone who shouts 'Allahu Akbar' - rather than risk a terror attack.
The Times reports that Italian mayor Luigi Brugnaro claimed that his city Venice was safer than Barcelona - where 14 people died being run down by a van last week.
"In contrast with Barcelona, where they had not set up protection, we keep our guard up."
Speaking at a conference in Rimini, north east Italy, he further revealed the extraordinary order he has given to armed police at one of the most popular tourist attractions in Europe.
“If anyone runs into St Mark’s Square shouting ‘Allahu Akhbar’, we will take him down.
"A year ago I said within four paces, now within three. I will say it in Venetian: ‘Ghe Sparemo’ (We will shoot him)."
The Mirror additionally reports that he went on to recall the arrest in March of four suspected jihadists who allegedly planned to kill hundreds of tourist by blowing up the world famous Rialto bridge.
"They wanted to go to Allah. But we'll send them straight to Allah before they can do any damage."
Last night Brugnaro stirred the pot even more:
"I have never been politically correct, in fact I am politically correct and that’s why we also need a naval blockade against people coming into Italy from north Africa."
Nobody from the Venice police department has commented.
We can only imagine the uproar this would have created in America - does Italy have CNN?