Prato police op on alleged Chinese raids (2)

(ANSA) - Prato, July 1 - Police on Friday seized baseball bats and iron bars during an operation in the Tuscan city of Prato as part of a probe into alleged vigilante raids committed by members of the local Chinese community against North Africans and Roma people.
    Police carried out nine different search operations in the area of Prato, also involving Chinese cultural association Cervo Bianco.
    Officers in particular searched the homes of seven people suspected of organizing raids against Maghrebi and Roma people accused by the Chinese community of robberies targeting Chinese enterprises.
    The suspects have been charged with criminal conspiracy involving racially-motivated assaults. Two of the seven suspects under investigation reportedly took part this week in a revolt by some 400-500 Chinese textile workers at the nearby town of Sesto Fiorentino following a health and hygiene inspection by the local health authority.
    The probe in Prato is, however, not reportedly connected to the revolt.