rome —
In Rome’s ancient Colosseum, where gladiators were once gored by wild animals to the delight of cheering crowds, it was never associated with safety. In fiction, Henry James’s heroine Daisy Miller dies from malaria during a moonlit visit to an amphitheater.
Today, this danger has become more modern. In July, a group of about 50 youths injured a police officer in an attack in which they set off fireworks. Authorities say the incident was part of a pattern of increasing crime around the historic district.
In an effort to turn the tide on security issues at the Colosseum, Roman authorities have now declared the area around the Colosseum a “red zone.” This means a special security force with greater powers has been deployed to protect both residents and tourists, blaming recent problems on “predatory crime and drug dealing” linked to the city’s decline. The zone will go into effect in late August and last until December 24th.
Extra security has also been added near the city’s main Termini station, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, which have seen an increase in visitors since Pope Francis was buried in a tomb there in April 2025.
In the new red zone, local police presence will be increased 24 hours a day, alongside the military presence. Italy’s military already protects busy tourist areas with fences and temporary checkpoints. However, it is clear that armed police in camouflage next to military vehicles is not acting as a sufficient deterrent against petty criminals.
“Security is tight here, but I just saw a woman get pickpocketed,” Janelle Triton, an American tourist visiting the Colosseum from Philadelphia, told CNN on Tuesday afternoon. She said the thieves were gone by the time law enforcement was alerted. “My hotel told me not to come here at night, so I’ve been avoiding this area.”
The decline in safety at one of Rome’s most famous tourist spots comes despite millions of dollars spent on infrastructure improvements in recent years – investments that authorities admit may actually be encouraging crime.
Rome’s security chief Lamberto Giannini said the new Colosseum subway station, part of an $8.3 billion project to strengthen the city’s subway system, was one factor in the rise in cases.
The station, which opened in December 2025, features a multi-level underground museum displaying artifacts unearthed during years of construction work on the new subway. But Giannini says the road also serves as a conduit for marginalized youth to Rome’s historic center, preying on both tourists and residents who visit the area after the tourists leave.
The red zone ordinance issued by Giannini states that existing safety measures have proven inadequate to deal with a “serious public emergency” that poses a “risk of serious harm” to sensitive areas. This will give security authorities greater powers to arrest people they believe are causing trouble or order them to leave the area.
A spokesperson for the governor told CNN he had no further comment on the matter, but a report in September is expected to detail how the red zones have affected crime.
