Police deployed tear gas and water cannons against protesters in Milan and Bologna, who were demonstrating against the increasing cost of living.
In Milan, demonstrators threw stones at police outside the Gothic cathedral, prompting a violent response; in Bologna, authorities used a water cannon and arrested seven individuals after the protest turned violent, according to the ANSA news agency.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, preparing for next year’s election, condemned the unrest, stating, “Demonstrating is a right. Turning our cities into battlegrounds is not,” on X.
In Milan, riot police attempted to clear hooded protesters from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a luxury shopping arcade adjacent to the cathedral square, while shops closed their shutters and tourists evacuated the area. The Duomo metro station was closed, and several people were reported injured, with arrests made, Italian media reported.
The disturbances echoed similar large‑scale protests in neighboring France, where tens of thousands took to the streets on Saturday, marking some of the most violent demonstrations in recent years.
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