Italian police red-faced over pink COVID masks

FILE PHOTO: People wait to get a dose of the vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), on the day Italy brings in tougher rules for the unvaccinated, at a Red Cross vaccination centre by Termini main train station in Rome, Italy, January 10, 2022. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo

ROME (Reuters) - Italian police have protested to the interior ministry after being sent pink health masks to wear on duty, saying the colour risked damaging their reputation.

"We do not understand the reason behind the purchase of masks in a colour that would appear at first sight to be unsuitable for our administration," the police union wrote in a letter to the interior ministry.

"This purchase is puzzling," the letter said, adding that two years into the COVID-19 health crisis it should be easy to purchase appropriate face masks.

In future, masks should only be black, white or blue, they said.

There was no immediate comment from the interior ministry.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)