Italy's cost-of-living protests turn violent, with arrests and police officers injured

Cost-of-living protests in Italy turned violent. People were arrested and police officers were injured. Both DW and Anadolu Agency report this.

According to DW, in a report dated 18 October 2026, the violence broke out during demonstrations on Saturday in several cities. Protesters rallied against high living costs, low wages, expensive fuel and a shortage of affordable housing in major cities, DW reported.

Milan

According to DW, at least four police officers and 20 demonstrators were injured in Milan. DW cited the Italian news agency ANSA as reporting that black-clad, masked youths threw fireworks and bottles at police. ANSA also reported that they erected barricades in the central Piazza Duomo. According to DW, police first withdrew to await reinforcements. They later used tear gas to clear the square. ANSA reported that some 50 young people were arrested in Milan, about half of them minors, according to DW.

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not identify the masked groups. They do not describe the extent of property damage.

Other cities

According to DW, clashes also broke out in Turin, Bologna and Bergamo. In Bologna, police used water cannon and made four arrests, all of them minors. Seven people were reported to prosecutors. The reports do not describe injuries in Turin, Bologna or Bergamo.

In Rome, thousands joined a demonstration organized by the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), according to DW. CGIL leader Maurizio Landini announced a general strike for 20 November.

DW also reported that similar demonstrations in France descended into rioting, arson and looting. More than 1,800 people were arrested nationwide in France, according to DW.

What is disputed

The reported figures differ. According to DW, citing ANSA, some 50 people were arrested in Milan. DW also reported four arrests in Bologna. Anadolu Agency's headline reports 28 arrests and 141 injured officers. The headline does not say whether these figures cover Milan or all of Italy. DW gives a figure of at least four injured officers, for Milan only. Only Anadolu's headline and summary were available to Vocemundi. The reports do not include official nationwide totals from Italian police or the Interior Ministry.

What each side says

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the rioting on Sunday and expressed solidarity with police, according to DW. She said criminals had exploited the demonstrations to provoke confrontations and "sow chaos". DW quoted her as saying: "Demonstrating is a right, but setting our cities on fire is not."

Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala condemned the violence. DW quoted him as saying: "The reasons for the protest were understandable. The violence against police and the serious damage to the city, however, cannot be justified."

The reports do not say where or how Meloni and Sala made their statements.

Analysis

The events show a gap between peaceful mass protest and violent clashes in some cities. Political leaders drew this distinction themselves. Meloni and Sala both condemned the violence. Both also acknowledged the right to protest or the reasons behind it. The general strike announced for 20 November may keep living costs at the centre of public debate. The reports reviewed do not show whether further unrest will follow. Arrest and injury figures differ between agencies. Official totals could clarify the scale of the violence. Reports of unrest in France point to similar pressures there. They do not establish any link between the two countries.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.