PISTICCI – Italian police have made four arrests in the alleged gang rape of two underage English tourists in southern Italy, local sources said on Friday.

 The incident allegedly took place Monday night at a private party at a villa in Marconia di Pisticci in the province of Matera.

 The girls were in the garden of the villa where they were allegedly forced into sex after being beaten, investigators said.

 The brutal incident has shocked residents of the populous hamlet.

 Mayor of Pisticci Viviana Verri has taken to Facebook urging the community “not to be silent” – “This is the moment when the spirit of our community must never get used to such episodes,” Ms Verri wrote. “A healthy community cannot and must never get used to such episodes and therefore those who are able to help investigators cannot afford to remain silent.”

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