Police fired tear gas in Milan and deployed water cannons in Bologna on Saturday as demonstrations against the rising cost of living turned violent in several Italian cities. Protesters threw stones at security forces, prompting arrests and emergency measures, while Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence and urged opposition parties to take a clear stand against unrest.In Milan, clashes erupted in Piazza Duomo, the square in front of the city’s Gothic cathedral, after groups of protesters threw stones at police, Italian media reported. Riot police also moved to clear hooded demonstrators from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a luxury shopping arcade near the cathedral, as violence broke out during the demonstration.Shops lowered their shutters and tourists fled the central area. The Duomo metro station was temporarily closed, while several people were reportedly injured and arrests were made, according to Italian media reports.In Bologna, police used water cannons to disperse crowds after a protest turned violent. At least seven people were arrested, the ANSA news agency reported. The unrest also prompted the precautionary closure of the city’s central railway station, Meloni said.
Meloni condemns violence, backs peaceful protests
Meloni condemned the violence while defending the right to demonstrate peacefully. In a statement posted on X, she said thousands of people had participated in peaceful rallies, including a mobilisation called by the CGIL trade union, which was attended by left-wing leaders.“I have great respect for the thousands of people who today demonstrated peacefully, including those who took part in the mobilisation called by the CGIL, which also saw the participation of left-wing leaders,” Meloni said. “Whatever the ideas for which one demonstrates, participation is the foundation of any healthy democracy.”However, she said the violence in Milan, Turin and Bologna could not be ignored, citing injuries to police officers, property damage and the discovery of people carrying potential weapons.“On the other hand, however, we cannot ignore what happened in other Italian squares,” Meloni stated. “In Milan, as these images show, stones were thrown at the Law Enforcement Forces, officers were injured, and damage and violence occurred that forced the interruption of the procession. In Turin, people were stopped carrying cobblestones and window-breaking hammers. In Bologna, the disorders led to the precautionary closure of the railway station.”Calling the perpetrators “thugs who exploit demonstrations to sow chaos, attack those who ensure security, and hold entire cities hostage,” Meloni drew a distinction between peaceful demonstrations and violence.“Demonstrating is a right. Setting our cities ablaze is not,” she said.The prime minister also urged opposition parties to unequivocally condemn the violence and call for peaceful demonstrations.“I renew my request to the opposition: do not be ambiguous about this,” Meloni said. “Unequivocally condemn these acts of violence and issue a clear appeal for every mobilisation to be peaceful.”“In the face of scenes like these, the rejection must be unanimous. Any hesitation becomes justification. Silence is not acceptable,” she wrote.
Protests over inflation, wages and public services
The demonstrations were organised under the banner of the “Italy in the Square” committee and drew more than 5,000 participants in Milan alone, broadcaster Rai News reported.The student-led mobilisation focused on rising inflation, low wages, underfunded public healthcare and deteriorating conditions in public schools. Protesters also expressed broader opposition to the government’s policies.In Milan, the unrest escalated as groups allegedly smashed shop windows, set fire to a nearby construction site and launched pyrotechnics at state police officers along Via Broletto, Rai News reported. Riot police conducted multiple charges after protesters attempted to breach security cordons.Around 12 people were reportedly hospitalised, while approximately 50 individuals were detained and taken to police headquarters for processing, according to the broadcaster.In Bologna, a breakaway group of hooded youths targeted the central railway station in Piazza Medaglie d’Oro. Protesters allegedly threw stones, glass bottles, smoke bombs and metal barriers at police lines and overturned dozens of public rental bicycles.Police and Carabinieri officers in riot gear deployed tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds and prevent access to the station, Rai News reported.The unrest coincided with protests in neighbouring France, where demonstrations against rising living costs and deteriorating public services also turned violent in Paris and other cities.France 24, citing French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, reported that around 550,000 people participated in the demonstrations across France, with police arresting approximately 400 people.
