Italy deploys more soldiers in Milan as new protests expected after looting

Italy deployed soldiers in Milan as new protests were expected on Saturday, 24 October 2026. The deployment came one week after looting and clashes with police in the city.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced a set of measures. They included sending an additional 500 soldiers to Milan and introducing tougher penalties for minors. Police said minors made up a large proportion of the violent protesters the previous week. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not detail the new penalties or say whether they have been formally adopted.

The situation in Milan

According to France 24, protesters took to the streets of Milan again on Saturday. Luxury boutiques were boarded up. Surveillance helicopters circled Piazza del Duomo, and soldiers patrolled in groups alongside military vehicles and a water cannon. France 24's headline called them "cost of living protests". The reports do not otherwise describe the protesters' demands or how Saturday's protests unfolded.

According to The Hindu, which cites The Associated Press, the 500 soldiers join hundreds already stationed in Milan. They will support about 5,000 police and other law enforcement personnel. Authorities are using drone surveillance, checks at railway stations, rapid-response units and online monitoring. Officials said security would extend beyond the city centre.

Milan police said about 2,000 very young protesters were involved in the previous week's violence. Police arrested 45 people over two days, 34 of them minors, The Hindu reported. The reports do not include independent verification of these figures.

Protests elsewhere

According to The Hindu, demonstrations were called in at least seven other Italian cities besides Rome and Milan. The newly formed "October 17 Movement" was the main driver. Rome locked down luxury shopping streets ahead of planned demonstrations. Protests were also scheduled in other European cities, from Portugal to Albania. In Madrid, thousands of retirees and others marched peacefully over public pensions. The reports do not explain any link between these protests and the Milan unrest.

What each side says

• Milan police described many of last week's protesters as "naturalised, second-generation Italians", alongside foreign nationals, according to The Hindu.
• Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said he was concerned about a repeat of violence and supported deploying more soldiers, according to The Hindu.
• Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said in a social media post that troops lacked key public-order tools. "They are not authorised to carry pepper spray or tasers," The Hindu quoted him as saying.
• Valter Mazzetti, secretary general of the Fsp police union, told The Associated Press, according to The Hindu, that soldiers could provide immediate reinforcements but would not resolve police staffing shortages.
• Lamberto Bertolé, Milan welfare councillor (Democratic Party), said more investigation is needed into the young people's backgrounds and motives. "Part of our society feels excluded, amid social and economic inequalities," The Hindu quoted him as saying.

Analysis

The government's response combines a visible security presence with tougher penalties for minors. Milan's mayor has voiced concern about a repeat of violence and backed the deployment of more soldiers. Others, including a police union leader and the defence minister, point to limits on what soldiers can do in public-order operations. A local councillor argues the causes behind the unrest need more study. If Saturday passes calmly, authorities may cite the deployment as effective. If violence recurs, debate over policing capacity and social causes could intensify. Much depends on details the reports do not include, such as the protesters' demands and the exact content of the proposed penalties.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.