ROME 

A group protesting a nighttime curfew clashed with security forces in Naples on Friday after Italy’s Campania region announced it would impose a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Local media said the group fired sound bombs, torches and cartridges at security forces and police intervened with tear gas.

It said that street conflicts and injuries occurred in many areas in the city center and noted the group walked to the district administration building and opened a banner that read: "If you are closing us down, you have to pay us."

A group protesting a curfew in Rome lit a torch in the middle of the street.

Piedmont and Calabria regions are also preparing to implement a curfew after it started Thursday in Lombardy and Friday in the regions of Campania and Lazio.

Piedmont Regional Management President Alberto Cirio also decided to declare a curfew in the region between 23.00 and 05.00 starting Oct. 26, according to a report by ANSA.

In its weekly coronavirus report, the Italian Institute of Higher Health said the situation was serious and urged residents not to leave their homes unless necessary.

In Italy, 19,143 new cases were detected in the last 24 hours, its highest daily number since the beginning of the pandemic.

Since the pandemic started in Italy on Feb. 21, a total of 484,869 people have been diagnosed with the virus, with 37,059 deaths.