China News Service, May 10. According to the WeChat public account of Italian "Xinhua Times", "Italian Overseas Chinese Network", recently, in the Villa Litta Park in Milan, two middle-aged Chinese women walked together, and saw the scene in the park. Mulberry leaves, which are commonly used to make herbal tea in China, began to be picked.
Before long, other tourists in the park gathered around and took pictures of them.
They thought the tourists were just taking pictures out of curiosity, but within minutes the police arrived and started questioning them.
Since the two Chinese women were only going out for a walk, they did not carry any documents, and they did not speak Italian. They just shook their heads when questioned by the police.
In the end, the police took the two to the police station for questioning because they could not verify their identities.
During their stay at the police station, the police confiscated their mobile phones, preventing them from contacting their families and failing to find an interpreter in time to help them communicate.
During their arrest, two Chinese women who could neither speak nor read Italian were released after being asked by the police to sign a document.
After the two Chinese women returned home, they quickly contacted Francesco Wu, the honorary president of the Italian Chinese Entrepreneurs Association who has worked and lived in Italy for many years, and the president of the Milan Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for help. Only then did they learn that the police asked the two Chinese women to sign. The documents stated that they knew Italian.
Because of the documents they signed, the police can convict them as "knowing Italian but refusing to cooperate with the police investigation", which is a violation of the criminal law as they are resisting public officials.
If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to one year in prison.
Picking banned mulberry leaves in parks faces a fine of up to 2,000 euros for "destroying green heritage".
Milan City Security Councillor Marco Granelli (Marco Granelli) said after learning of the incident that he would intervene to find out the truth of the matter.
And remind all citizens to bring valid documents when going out to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.