Italy's government is sending 500 soldiers to Milan following violent unrest that erupted during protests against the cost of living. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni chaired a security meeting on Monday and vowed a firm response from the state.
Clashes broke out on Saturday and Sunday when hooded youths set bins ablaze, ransacked shops and smashed windows across Milan, including in the area surrounding the city's cathedral. Police used teargas and water cannon to disperse the violent groups, who were on the fringes of an initially peaceful protest.
Milan police detained 271 young people in connection with the unrest. Of those detained, 32 have been arrested, including 23 minors and 13 foreign nationals. A further 28 people were reported to judicial authorities.
Luxury brands including Chanel, Tiffany and Dior removed merchandise from their windows in Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II as a precaution. Other stores ransacked included sports retailers Decathlon and Arc'teryx and the mobile phone operator Vodafone. Many luxury stores in Milan's fashion district remained closed amid fears of further unrest.
The government announced a package of new security measures following the violence. These include a new offence of violent participation in a demonstration, tougher penalties for rioters, and financial liability for parents whose children take part in vandalism and looting.
"The government will respond firmly to these attacks on the state, including through measures aimed at curbing violence by minors," said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who also serves as deputy prime minister.
According to reports, one of the security measures under consideration is specifically aimed at second-generation immigrant youths. Meloni's coalition is also reportedly planning tougher penalties for road blockades, following days of protests in southern Italy by lorry drivers over fuel prices.
A new movement called 17 October has emerged on social media, announcing plans to organise demonstrations in Milan and other Italian cities each Saturday afternoon until further notice. Authorities are bracing for further protests this Saturday.
The unrest in Italy follows a wider wave of violent disorder across Europe. In France, images of mobs looting shops and public buildings set on fire prompted the United States, China and Germany to issue travel advice for their citizens. Nearly 2,400 people were arrested in France in one of the country's most violent recent bouts of unrest.
French authorities announced partial curfews in several cities, including Paris, Bordeaux, Lille and Nice. Paris police renewed a curfew applying from 11pm to 6am in the Place de la République and the central Les Halles shopping district. Authorities also ordered a temporary ban on carrying cans or bottles of petrol or gas, and banned masks and helmets in some areas. A man was arrested in connection with the burning of the historic town hall in Limoges.
France's interior minister said some military forces would be deployed during protests planned for this Saturday, primarily to free police and gendarmes for order-maintenance duties. The French prime minister told parliament that the police presence during Saturday's demonstrations would be "massive" and that his goal was an "immediate return to order."
