Gennaro Rubino (November 23, 1859[1][2] – March 14, 1918; also spelled Rubini) was an Italian anarchist who unsuccessfully tried to assassinate King Leopold II of Belgium.

[1] While serving in the Italian army as a young man, Rubino was condemned to five years' detention for writing a subversive newspaper article.

[6][7] In May 1902, Rubino's employment with the Italian Secret Service was uncovered, and he was denounced by the international anarchist press as a spy.

"[9] According to later police interrogations, he considered killing King Edward VII, but decided against it due to the strong feeling of the English people in favour of the monarchy.

On the morning of November 15, 1902, King Leopold was returning from a ceremony in memory of his recently deceased wife, Marie Henriette.

Rubino took a revolver and waited for the King's procession among a crowd on the Rue Royale in front of the Bank of Brussels.

In this carriage Count Charles John d'Oultremont, the Grand Marshal of the Royal court was seated, and he received broken glass in his face.

"[6] At the police station, Rubino was searched and found to be carrying a package of ball cartridges and picture postcards bearing portraits of King Leopold, Prince Albert, and Princess Elisabeth.

Rubino chose Émile Royer, a socialist who had previously defended the anarchist Jules Moineau,[18] as his lawyer.

At the trial Rubino was unrepentant and even boastful, declaring that he had hoped to be able to kill the King, Prince Albert, and a few of the clergy.