Italian Prime Minister Meloni Calls Emergency Meeting After Violent Clashes
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is convening a security meeting after protests over the cost of living escalated into violence in Milan.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced an emergency security meeting on Monday following a weekend of violent clashes in Milan, which erupted during protests against the rising cost of living. The clashes saw over 5,000 people gather, with some demonstrators throwing objects at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons.
"To demonstrate is a right. To lay our cities to waste is not," Meloni stated Saturday, characterizing the actions of some as "hooligans" seeking to "sow chaos." She called for a unanimous condemnation of the violence from political opponents, emphasizing that "any hesitation becomes justification."
Similar unrest has been observed on the sidelines of mostly peaceful youth-led protests in other European nations, including France, Spain, and Albania. Milan's Mayor Giuseppe Sala expressed concern, calling it a "new phenomenon" that "originates from an international scenario and therefore feeds itself." He described witnessing "smashed shop windows, looted stores, and frightened citizens," noting the events mirrored similar scenes in cities globally.
In Milan, the clashes, which began Saturday and continued into Sunday, resulted in the detention of over 200 individuals, approximately 80% of whom were minors, according to Italian news agency Ansa. The city's prosecutor's office has sought prison sentences for five adults arrested on charges of looting, vandalism, and resisting arrest.
Reports indicate that both protesters and police sustained injuries. The violence also spread to other cities in northern Italy. In Turin, individuals were detained while reportedly carrying "cobblestones and window-breaking hammers," and a train station in Bologna was temporarily closed due to similar disturbances.
Elly Schlein, leader of the Democratic Party, affirmed her party's consistent condemnation of violence and argued that the riots should not be used to suppress the voices of peaceful protesters struggling with economic hardship. The violent incidents followed anti-government student protests held in various Italian cities on Friday and echoed broader unrest seen in neighboring France.