ROME — Police in Italy have seized computers and other devices allegedly used by four Italians to send death threats and offensive emails to the country's health minister to protest his firm stance on coronavirus lockdowns.

The Carabinieri health police said Friday that the emails were sent between October and January from foreign computer servers and contained violent threats of retaliation against Health Minister Roberto Speranza and his family, “including explicit death threats.”

The four Italians, who are from four different Italian cities and range in age from 35 to 55, were placed under investigation for making “aggravated threats,” according to a Carabinieri statement.

Speranza has been part of the Italian government's “rigorist” camp advocating for tough restrictions to contain the spread of the virus. He has enjoyed high popularity marks in national polling throughout the pandemic. He was one of the handful of Cabinet ministers who retained their jobs after Mario Draghi became premier in February.