Carlton legend Marc Murphy has performed a sensational citizen’s arrest in Rome, moments after saving an Italian chauffeur from an alleged unprovoked assault.
Last month, the former Blues skipper broke up a brawl that hospitalised two men while his family watched – all just hours after landing in Italy off the back of a long-haul flight from Melbourne.
Bystanders cheered and applauded Murphy for the heroic act.
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Murphy, 37, has been holidaying in Europe for the past month alongside his wife Jessie and their two children.
They were dropped at a boutique hotel near the Pantheon, with chaos erupting as their driver began to help unpack their bags.
A 22-year-old homeless Tunisian man accosted the group, allegedly screaming at the driver before punching him in the face, causing significant injury.
The confrontation then descended into a street brawl.
Murphy, who played 300 games for Carlton, sprung into action – protecting the driver by breaking up the fight, before putting the Tunisian man in a headlock, wrestling him to the ground and performing a citizen’s arrest while a passing pedestrian sought the police.
The Tunisian was taken to hospital to be treated for medical issues and injuries. He went on to assault a security guard at the hospital before being arrested by police.
Murphy sprung into action as his family watched on. Credit: Instagram
Murphy then comforted the driver as he waited to be taken to the emergency section of a nearby hospital.
“The whole altercation happened really quickly and came out of nowhere.” Murphy told 7NEWS.
“I’m glad that all parties came out of relatively OK and that my family remained safe too.
“It certainly wasn’t the start to the holiday we were expecting.”
The incident was first reported in Italian newspaper La Repubblica on the 11th of July.
A rough translation of the article in part reads:
“A man punched an NCC (private hire vehicle driver) in Via di torre Argentina, then assaulted a security guard at the hospital before being arrested.
“The driver was helping a tourist into his vehicle when he was struck in the face without any apparent reason. The driver and the tourist restrained the attacker, who was arrested shortly after at the hospital.”
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