Rome city police report Roma fa schifo blog for defamation.

The chief of Rome's municipal police force, Antonio Di Maggio, has reported Roma Fa Schifo, the blog which highlights the ills of the capital's infrastructure, for defamation.

Commander Di Maggio took objection to a video posted by the blog on 10 March, showing a city bus blocked by an illegally-parked car, which was accompanied by the sarcastic comment: "Eh maybe all the newly-hired vigili have sent in a certificate to avoid working at night."

The post was interpreted as a reference to New Year's Eve in 2014 when more than three quarters of Rome's city police reportedly called in sick.

Posting on the Facebook page of Corpo di Polizia Locale di Roma Capitale, Di Maggio wrote: "We will not accept other slanders that discredit the work and commitment of our agents who work daily on the streets to protect the welfare of citizens. It is shameful that a blog uses the reports of people to express their contempt, publicly bullying a body of about 6,000 agents who each day carry out their profession with dedication, putting themselves at the service of citizens."

Roma fa schifo has described the move as "disturbing and surreal" and has appealed to its readers to make a "very small, symbolic donation" in support.

The blog also underlined that it has always been on the side of police when it comes to "fines, checks, respect for rules and for the massive presence of law enforcement officers including vigili urbani."

Photo: Corpo di Polizia Locale di Roma Capitale