An Italian priest gave the middle finger to a group of protesters as they stormed past his church during heated riots in Italy.
Father Giannicola Maria Simone, 65, was standing outside his church in central Milan as hooded protesters gathered nearby and started to gesture towards the congregation.
The surrounding streets of Piazza Sant’Alessandro was crowded with demonstrators.
The priest said he had been watching the chaos unfold from inside the Church of Sant’Alessandro di Zebedia when he saw crowds moving closer to the church.
Father Giannicola rushed outside and ushered anyone stranded nearby inside the church where they would be safe.
He gave shelter to dozens of tourists and locals as well as churchgoers in northern Italy.
As he was ushering people in from the church steps, a group of protesters stormed past with one showing the middle finger to Father Giannicola.
The priest responded by also giving the protester the middle finger.
The video of the priest giving the middle finger quickly went viral.
Father Giannicola said the viral footage was his genuine reaction and he had no idea he was on camera at the time.
He told local media: “As these young people were passing, someone showed me the middle finger. They are young, so I am not surprised.
“I responded by showing him the middle finger as well, but without any violent intentions or any risk of provoking further anger.”
The priest has said he has no regret over the obscene gesture.
He added: “I would understand if I had punched someone, but I have never raised my hands against anyone, even in the most difficult moments.
“I am 65 and have worked with young people all my life, and sometimes you have to tell them, ‘Be careful what you are doing’.
“Outside the context of the clashes, I would never have done anything like that.”
Father Giannicola also revealed that he had tried to speak to some of the young people gathering outside his church.
He said most of them confessed to only turning up because they saw everyone else coming and didn’t want to be left out.
The priest said the issue of youth violence is a major concern which needs addressing.
“If young people are bored, it is because we have shut them all away and left them with only a smartphone, something fake,” he added.
Italy has been faced with major riots across the past week as hundreds demonstrated against rising living costs across Europe.