Italy Stages Military Response as Protesters Target Eight Cities
With 500 troops stationed in Milan and a minor in seven of the last week's 271 arrests, authorities brace for a second wave of unrest.
By David Almasi ·
Police launched 150 new searches in Lombardy on Saturday morning as 500 soldiers took up positions in Milan. The security push accompanies a fresh round of demonstrations scheduled for eight cities that same day. The actions follow a chaotic weekend in which street clashes and looting forced the government to tighten its grip on the capital.
The upcoming rallies were organized by the October 17 Movement, a recently formed coalition that includes student federations and grassroots trade unions. The group announced the dates on social media, directing criticism at Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration. "We distrust this government because we see it as authoritarian," the movement wrote on Instagram. Organizers have withheld the specific locations of the rallies until Saturday afternoon to prevent police from intercepting them early.
The current crackdown follows the detention of 271 people during last Sunday's unrest. Of those held, 220 were minors. The disparity in age drew immediate attention from legal advocates. Michele D'Agostino, an attorney representing two of the detained protesters, noted that one 15-year-old client had joined the event after seeing a TikTok video. "He didn't even know the reasons behind the protest; he had just seen it on TikTok and decided to check it out with a friend," D'Agostino said.
Public officials have pointed to digital platforms as a primary cause of the disorder. The public prosecutor described the behavior of many young participants as "insurrectional acts" driven by misleading online information. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio told Sky TG24 that the system must adapt to these changes. He stated that Italy needs to "expand the capacity of our youth detention facilities" to handle the volume of arrests.
Police are also investigating the digital infrastructure of the protest network. Officers located and began questioning the administrator of the movement's main Instagram page on Friday. According to the Corriere della Sera, the individual is a 30-year-old freelance journalist and researcher of Italian-Moroccan heritage. He faces suspicion of inciting crimes.
Protest participants have urged a show of restraint in the coming days. A member of the group identified as E warned on Thursday that a peaceful display was necessary to avoid police escalation. "We must be peaceful. If we give [the police] an excuse, they will charge against us," the participant said. Another member, identified as Q, rejected the idea of separating peaceful demonstrators from those who engage in looting, declaring, "It's just us."
The unrest in the north occurs alongside logistical disruptions in the south. Truck drivers established roadblocks in several southern regions earlier in the week to protest high fuel prices. The blockades left multiple markets without supplies for several days. On Thursday, the government responded by approving tax breaks and establishing a special financial fund for farmers and fishermen.
