Brother of Italy mob boss arrested for assaulting TV reporter

Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Italian police have arrested the brother of a jailed mob boss for attacking a television broadcaster -- captured on tape -- in a coastal town near Rome this week.

Roberto Spada is accused of "grievous bodily harm and private violence" to RAI State reporter Daniele Piervincenzi. Spada was captured head-butting Piervincenzi with a baton while being interviewed on the doorstep of his gym in Ostia, 14 miles from Rome.

"You've broken my nose," Piervincenzi said after he was hit.

Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi posted video of the attack to Twitter, saying, "The Spada clan's violence is unacceptable. ... We will stop crime and extremism in Rome."

Spada's brother, Carmine, is serving 10 years in jail for extortion and mafia links.

Roberto Spada was being interviewed about the clan's alleged relationship with CasaPound, a neo-fascist group that won 9 percent of the vote in a municipal election last weekend.

In 2015, the Ostia town council was disbanded because it had been infiltrated by the mafia.

Spada denies the charges and ties to the fascist group.

CasaPound Vice President Simone Di Stefano said Roberto Spada was not a party member and called the TV attack "deplorable." He urged prosecutors "to see if there are criminal ties between us and the Spadas."

The case has been assigned to anti-mafia prosecutors.

Piervincenzi said he and filmmaker Edoardo Anselmi were "shaken" by the attack, and said Anselmi "bravely defended the recording of the video camera during the attack."

"We'll both keep doing our job with the same dedication as before," Piervincenzi said.