As France declares a state of emergency, Italy has already deployed military forces onto the streets.

Protests have erupted across multiple Italian cities over rising prices. Demonstrators threw stones and firecrackers at police and damaged a bookstore. Over half of those arrested were minors from immigrant backgrounds. Reports indicate injuries have occurred.

Rioting broke out at Milan’s Duomo Square: crowds hurled firecrackers and rocks at law enforcement, resulting in dozens injured and 50 arrests. Similar clashes unfolded in Turin, where a bookstore was looted. Stones and firecrackers were directed at police stationed at Piazza Castello, while a car belonging to the Carabinieri was damaged and shops along Via Vittorio Emanuele were ransacked. The “Italy in the Square” protest against soaring prices in Milan concluded in this manner yesterday afternoon. By evening, approximately 50 individuals had been detained, nearly half of them minors. Around ten people were hospitalized. According to COISP, the union representing police officers, two officers sustained injuries—one officer and one regular policeman. Milan was not the only city experiencing unrest; tensions and confrontations also emerged in Turin, Bologna, and Brescia.

More than 5,000 people took to the streets in Milan to protest high living costs and low wages. The first incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on Via Broletto, where demonstrators threw bottles and debris at police. Authorities attempted to disperse the crowd, leading to the fragmentation of the march. A witness on-site stated: “When organizers at Via Broletto admitted they could no longer control the black-clad youths, we realized the situation was deteriorating.” Another official criticized the choice of protest location: “Who authorized demonstrations at Milan Cathedral Square and St. Mark’s Square in Venice? These are typically restricted areas, especially on Saturday afternoons.”

The situation at Piazza Duomo escalated rapidly. Hundreds of young rioters attacked police lines, hurling stones, fireworks, and fragments of barriers. A Carabinieri vehicle was targeted, and several armored personnel carriers sustained damage. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons, dispersing the crowd into streets between the Duomo and San Babila. A Foot Locker store on Via Vittorio Emanuele was looted. Protesters set fire to trash bins and erected makeshift roadblocks. Preliminary data from COISP indicated 40 arrests, rising to about 50 by evening. Three demonstrators were injured—treated for minor bruises and transported to hospital. Exact figures regarding casualties and total numbers remain under verification. Many onlookers expressed dismay. A wounded female student remarked: “I didn’t come here to see this.” In Milan, a police officer shouted at the demonstrators: “You’ve assaulted people, caused riots, and committed other offenses. What else do you intend to do?” After the main demonstration ended in the evening, some groups continued their violent actions, setting fire to tents and trash bins near bars and smashing shop windows.

Turin police arrested 12 individuals, 10 of whom were minors. Authorities reported that the detainees carried Molotov cocktails, homemade fireworks, stones, and hammers intended for breaking glass. The procession, described as being led by unaffiliated actors, altered its route mid-march and headed toward Porta Nuova railway station. There, one group entered the Feltrinelli bookstore and toppled bookshelves. Police responding to stone attacks used tear gas to prevent the station from being blocked.

Clashes intensified at Piazza Castello. Authorities conducted a tactical operation using water cannons and tear gas to disperse demonstrators along Via Bosco and Via Pietro Micca. During the anti-inflation protest, an organizer was verbally abused and physically assaulted by the crowd, accused of supporting the far-right party Futuro Nazionale. The individual was subsequently evacuated to safety by security forces.

In Bologna, the main site of violence was Medaglione d’Oro Square, located opposite the train station and near the city center. A group broke away from the main procession, throwing smoke bombs and bottles, and dismantling barriers. Police responded with water cannons and tear gas, prompting the temporary closure of the train station for safety reasons. Seven individuals have so far been arrested, and investigations are ongoing. In Brescia, a demonstration involving thousands began at Formentone Square and concluded at Paolo VI Square, where protesters hurled chairs, tables, cups, and firecrackers at police. Tear gas was deployed. Initial assessments suggest no injuries. COISP union secretary Domenico Pianezza urged youth not to become human shields for criminals and called on all political parties to unequivocally condemn the events. Investigators now face a substantial workload, requiring detailed accountability for each participant’s role in throwing objects, assaulting officers, and causing property damage.

According to reporting by Messaggero, due to the escalating unrest, the Italian government will deploy military personnel to the streets of Milan. Sources told the publication that the Council of Ministers has decided to dispatch 500 soldiers to the city, granting them special operational authority.

Protests erupt across multiple European nations

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879524990332936/

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