POLICE today arrested three fans who descended on the field to ask AS Roma star Francesco Totti to have Sunday's derby between Lazio and AS Roma suspended.
They cited a rumour – which turned out to be false – that police had fatally run over a boy outside the stadium.
Fifteen others were arrested in clashes after the high-tension game between the capital's two rival clubs was suspended at halftime with the score 0-0.
The three fans were arrested after authorities listened to their conversation with Totti as recorded by a RAI state TV crew covering the game, police at Rome's headquarters said.
Police declined to say if the three were Roma fans and what they were accused of, but Italian news reports identified them as AS Roma supporters in their late 20s and early 30s.
The AGI news agency said the three were accused of violence against private citizens and violating anti-soccer violence laws.
RAI showed the film clip and viewers could hear one of the three telling Totti that the parents of the boy had called and were asking the Roma captain to have the game suspended.
A person at the edge of the playing field yelled out repeatedly that the rumour was baseless, but the fans persisted in entreating Totti to "to give his promise" he'd have the game suspended. Totti then replied that whether the rumour is true or not, play wouldn't continue.
The three fans were described in Italian news reports as "ultras" – members of extremist fan clubs often blamed for stadium violence.
Police had said earlier today they are investigating how the rumour was started, including the possibility that it was a premeditated act by some fans.
Police spokesman Mario Russo said 153 policemen were injured and the ANSA news agency reported that 14 fans were hurt during the night. All of the injured were released from hospital today.
Police reiterated repeatedly that nobody was killed – including announcements on the Stadio Olimpico public address system during Sunday night's match.
"They put at risk 80,000 people, children, old people and handicapped people who had to leave" the stadium in a hurry, said a Rome police official.
The stadium drama dominated Italian news programs today, with one talk show headlining the issue: "Is soccer being held hostage by ultras?"
Fans on both ends of the stadium wrapped up their usual array of banners – an act that usually happens only in cases of tragedy or other unusual circumstances – immediately before the chaos that resulted in the suspension after 48 minutes of play.
Totti and Lazio defender Sinisa Mihajlovic, along with match officials, were questioned by police to try and determine what exactly happened and how the rumour started.
Neither Totti nor Mihajlovic spoke to reporters after the questioning.
As the second-half began, most of fans at one end of the stadium – Lazio's end – began chanting "murderers" at the police and demanded that the game be stopped because they claimed police had run over a boy outside the stadium.
After the fan representatives ran on to the field to discuss their stance with Totti and other players, and a few moments of bewilderment, referee Roberto Rosetti suspended the game.
Rosetti later said he stopped the game for "reasons of public order," perhaps fearing an invasion of the field by fans.
Outside the stadium, fans set small fires and police in riot gear battled with those who hurled paving stones and flares.
Fans arrested for derby rumour
