The newly-restyled Piazza Cavour in Rome's Prati district has become the scene of large-scale organised street fights over the last two weekends.

Up to 300 youths congregated in the square on the night of Saturday 6 October after receiving an invitation through social media website Facebook that read "Everyone bring alcohol and we'll get drunk, also to feel less pain, with a cocktail of a litre and a half of gin, rum, vodka and grappa. Then let the fight begin."

Witnesses described seeing hordes of youths fighting amongst each other, some wielding clubs, chains and motorcycle helmets as weapons.

Rome's police commissioner has ordered increased security around the square for the duration of the upcoming weekend of 13 October, following the concerns of local residents that the violent events of the past two consecutive Saturday nights could be repeated.

Meanwhile police are studying closed circuit television camera footage from the area and technical officers are trawling through Facebook in an attempt to identify ringleaders of the "maxi-rissa".