Italy's restaurant and bar owners are fuming over an impending smoking ban.
Italy is due to outlaw smoking in many places from January 10th and the battle against the ban has intensified after the bar and restaurant association discovered owners could be hit with a €2,200 fine if they failed to alert the police when a customer refused to stub out a cigarette.
"We're being forced into the role of sheriff," said Mr Edi Sommariva, president of bar and restaurant association Confcommercio.
A cartoon on the front page of the leading Corriere della Seranewspaper showed police raiding an elegant restaurant with machineguns.
To give bar and restaurant owners time to prepare, Confcommercio has asked for a six-month delay. If the government refuses, they are threatening to take their complaint to the provincial court.
Italy's proposal sees smoking prohibited in almost every place except the home. Along with restaurants and bars, offices and any private building where the public may walk are included.
Fines will be levelled for smoking in protected areas, failing to report a smoker and also for not putting up the correct "No Smoking" signs in the correct place.
Italy's ban plan follows similar moves in Ireland, New York, Norway and Malta, which have seen varying levels of success.