As many as 13 American soldiers face charges in Italian court after a bar fight over the weekend left several people hospitalized, according to media reports.
The fight broke out at disco Liv in Bassano del Grappa, and it involved U.S. soldiers and "a group of men of African origin," according to Italian paper Il Giornale di Vicenza. The paper reported the fight involved about 40 people, including the soldiers; some were armed with knives and broken bottles.The soldiers are assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which is stationed in Vicenza, Italy, Stars and Stripes reported.
According to the paper, a scuffle broke out outside the Liv nightclub. Initial reports state "a first quarrel" broke out inside the nightclub, and a soldier was stabbed in the back, according to the paper.
A video on the Il Giornale di Vicenza's website shows the soldiers walking into Italian court flanked by military police soldiers. The paper reported the next hearing in the case is scheduled for Thursday.
Stars and Stripes reported all the American soldiers involved belong to the 173rd Airborne. Maj. Juan Martinez, a spokesman for the brigade, told Stripes that the unit was aware of the incident but that he had little information because the investigation was being handled by Italian authorities.
Martinez added that it wasn't clear whether all 13 soldiers ordered to appear before an Italian magistrate on Monday had been involved in the fight or were merely present when Italian police responded, Stripes reported.
