Hundreds of African labourers blocked roads in southern Italy Friday in protest after one of their colleagues was shot and injured in a drive-by shooting, the Ansa news agency reported.
A group of around 200 blocked streets around the town of Rosarno, while another 200 immigrants headed to the police station to raise their concerns, DPA reported.
An unidentified gunman had opened fire on African immigrants returning home from orange orchards near Rosarno on Thursday evening, injuring several, including a political refugee from Togo. One man had to be hospitalized.
Police only able to restore order after several hours. Two bystanders were injured in the riots.
Around 5,000 immigrants, most from Africa, live in Rosarno, a town of 16,000. Local authorities believe the drive-by attack may have come from the mafia of the Calabria region who wanted to punish the immigrants for not paying protection money.