Italy Protests: 9 Arrested and 371 Detained as Saturday Marches Sweep Italian Cities

Italy protests Saturday clashes broke out in several Italian cities on Saturday, October 24, as thousands of young people marched against rising living costs and war, while a heavy security operation kept the largest demonstration, in Milan, largely peaceful.

Italian police said in a statement that nine people were arrested and 371 people were briefly detained during protests in eight cities on Saturday. Of those taken to police stations, 110 were minors, the statement added.

FAKTA

• Arrested: nine people across Italy on Saturday, according to an Italian police statement
• Briefly detained: 371 people in eight cities, including 110 minors
• Cities: Milan, Rome, Turin, Naples, Bologna and Florence among those with marches
• Milan: demonstration remained largely peaceful and ended peacefully on Saturday evening
• Clashes: brief clashes reported in Rome and Turin; Reuters reported violence in Turin, Rome and Bologna
• Security in Milan: 500 additional soldiers deployed, supporting about 5,000 police and other security personnel
• Background: the marches followed violent clashes and looting during protests last weekend, on October 17 and 18

Italy Protests Saturday Clashes: Milan Stays Largely Peaceful Under Heavy Guard

Thousands of young people marched through the streets of Milan, Rome and Turin on Saturday as authorities deployed large numbers of police and soldiers in a largely successful bid to prevent a repeat of the violent clashes and looting that marred similar protests last week.

In Milan, soldiers were deployed in the city centre and luxury boutiques boarded up their front windows, but by late afternoon most shops had reopened, Italian media reported. The demonstration in Milan remained peaceful, and the protesters ended their march peacefully on Saturday evening outside the Milan Polytechnic, more than three kilometres from the city centre.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had announced a raft of measures ahead of Saturday, including sending an additional 500 soldiers to Milan and tougher penalties for minors, who police said made up a large part of the violent protesters last week. The 500 soldiers came in addition to hundreds already stationed in the city, supporting about 5,000 police and other security personnel. Authorities used drone surveillance, checks at railway stations, rapid-response units and online monitoring for potential calls to violence.

Clashes in Rome, Turin and Bologna

While Milan stayed largely calm, there were brief clashes with police in both Rome and Turin, according to the Associated Press. Reuters reported that the demonstrations were violent in Turin, Rome and Bologna, with clashes between officers and demonstrators, but added that its witnesses did not observe any shops being looted or property vandalised on Saturday.

In Rome, security was heightened around luxury shopping streets, the Circus Maximus and Piazza del Popolo. A small number of protesters tried to force their way into the Colosseum but were ushered out by guards. A separate anti-war march in central Rome briefly clashed with police near Piazza della Repubblica, and the protesters pulled back when a water cannon was turned on them.

Across the cities, protesters threw bottles, stones and firecrackers in some of the clashes, according to the Associated Press. Earlier on Saturday, Italian police said they had detained a person allegedly linked to organising the October 17 Movement, behind last weekend’s protests, and had taken them to police headquarters in Milan for questioning.

A Second Weekend of Unrest

Saturday’s marches were the second weekend of a protest wave that began over the rising cost of living, fuel prices and discontent within the education sector, and has grown to include opposition to military spending and government policies. Last weekend, demonstrations in Milan and other northern cities escalated into clashes, shop damage and looting, and police made dozens of arrests.

Many shops closed as a precaution on Saturday, Reuters reported, as authorities made extensive security arrangements after calls for further demonstrations circulated on social media during the week.

A Europe-Wide Day of Protest

While protests in France claimed most international attention on Saturday, large demonstrations also took place across Europe, from Milan and Rome to Madrid, Lisbon and Tirana. In Madrid, protesters marched for pension rights, while in Lisbon the main demand was affordable housing. The protests encompassed a broad range of issues, from education and corruption to anti-war movements, pensions and housing.

Related coverage of protests across Europe can be found on Watan News Europe.