London: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi feared "something might happen" at the rally in Milan minutes before he was assaulted by a mentally ill man.
The 73-year-old reportedly confided his fears of the "climate of hate" against him to his spokesman Paolo Bonaiuti while en route to the cathedral square.
The premier was struck in the face with a souvenir statuette by Massimo Tartaglia, a 42-year-old electronics engineer, who said he hated the politician, reports Times Online.
The attack left Berlusconi with a broken nose. He also lost two teeth and half a litre of blood in the attack at the end of the political rally.
Berlusconi will need weeks of treatment for the physical injuries and mental trauma, according to his doctors.
Meanwhile, Tartaglia, whose history of psychological problems date back at least a decade, has been charged with aggravated assault.
ANI
