City authorities claim trees in Piazza Augusto Imperatore posed a risk to public safety. Most of the iconic cypress trees that circled Rome's Mausoleum of Augustus have been chopped down, sparking an outcry from local residents and visitors to the ancient site. The felling of the trees had reportedly been announced in early June, coinciding with the opening of a new Piazza Augusto Imperatore, however the news seemed to go largely unnoticed until the whir of chainsaws on Wednesday. At least ...
