Tension in Italian Parliament Erupts in Physical Violence

A fight broke out between members of Italy's Lega Nord party (a group which advocates federalism) and supporters of speaker Gianfranco Fini (a self-described liberal conservative) in the Italian parliament this morning.

Fini had recently appeared on Italian television to berate Lega Nord leader Umberto Bossi for pushing to raise the age of retirement, pointing out that Bossi's own wife retired age 39, according The Guardian's John Hooper.

Lega Nord supporters apparently didn't take too kindly to this and ushers in parliament had to step in as things started to get physical, writes Business Insider.

Lega Nord supporters also chanted "resign, resign" at Fini.

Although the video does not catch the fight itself, it catches the moments leading up to it; moments which are indicative of the overall mood in Italy. It also shows a still picture of the men fighting:

"There is a climate of violence and intolerance," said Amedeo Ciccanti from the centrist UDC party in a Reuters report. "We need to calm down because Italians are more irritated than us about this."