Hollywood star says he was teargassed in Rome.

The American actor Jared Leto says he got "caught" in the 'No Green Pass' protest in Rome on Saturday night, posting images and footage in his stories on Instagram.

“Got caught in a protest in Italy” - Leto wrote over a photo of helmeted police and protesters - “From what I gather it was about vaccine mandates / green pass.”

The House of Gucci star, 49 also claimed he “got teargassed” during the protest before he “called it a night.”

The demonstration was organised in protest over a requirement for workers in Italy to have the Green Pass, a digital or paper certificate showing that people have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from covid-19.

• Rome protest over Italy's covid Green Pass turns violent

From 15 October Italy will require all workers - in both the public and private sectors - to present a Green Pass in the workplace or face suspension without pay.

Around 10,000 people showed up for Saturday evening's protest in the central Piazza del Popolo before hundreds of protesters began heading in the direction of Palazzo Chigi, the seat of Italy's council of ministers and office of premier Mario Draghi. Police responded with tear gas and water cannon.

• Green Pass: How to get Italy's digital covid cert and how it works

Other protesters, led by far-right activists, stormed the headquarters of CGIL, Italy’s largest trade union.

The violence was roundly condemned, with both Draghi and Italy's president Sergio Mattarella expressing their solidarity to CGIL secretary general Maurizio Landini.

Palazzo Chigi issued a statement saying that the government "continues its commitment to complete the vaccination campaign against covid-19 and thanks the millions of Italians who have already adhered with conviction and civic sense."

• Italy to provide third dose of covid vaccine to over-60s

There are 43 million people in Italy fully vaccinated, with covid hospitalisations declining steadily since early summer, however more than 8 million Italians (15 per cent of the vaccinable population aged over 12) have yet to receive even the first covid shot.

Details about the Green Pass can be found - in Italian - on the Certificazione Verde website. For official information about the covid-19 situation in Italy - in English - see the health ministry website.

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