World · India Bureau
Milan erupts as cost-of-living protest turns violent
Clashes between masked demonstrators and police turned a peaceful march in Milan's city centre into scenes of destruction on Saturday, with rioters looting shops, torching barricades and leaving officers injured. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence, drawing a distinction between legitimate protest and what she termed 'hooligans' exploiting demonstrations to create chaos.
LSN India ·
Central Milan descended into disorder on Saturday as a demonstration against wars and rising living costs escalated into violent confrontations. What began as a peaceful march transformed when masked protesters began hurling stones, paving blocks and other projectiles at riot police and igniting makeshift barricades constructed from bar furniture in Piazza del Duomo and surrounding luxury retail areas.
Police responded by deploying water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowds, with at least two officers sustaining injuries during the clashes. Photographs from the scene revealed extensive damage to a carabinieri vehicle, underscoring the intensity of the confrontations in the normally bustling shopping district.
Authorities detained approximately 50 demonstrators, including numerous minors, according to LaPresse news agency. The violence prompted an immediate response from Italy's government, with Premier Meloni taking to social media to condemn the actions while acknowledging citizens' right to protest. "Demonstrating is a right. Setting our cities ablaze is not," she stated, characterizing the perpetrators as individuals intent on exploiting legitimate demonstrations to incite disorder and intimidate security personnel.