Italian Prime Minister Meloni condemns violence in Milan protests and urges opposition to denounce unrest

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni used her X account on Sunday to denounce the violence that erupted during Saturday's demonstrations in Milan and other Italian cities, and to reaffirm support for police forces. She wrote that law-enforcement officers faced "the violence of criminals who, even through organized groups, exploit demonstrations to seek confrontation and sow chaos" and urged the opposition to "unequivocally condemn these acts of violence".

The protests, organized by the Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro (CGIL), turned violent in several locations. In Milan, police used water cannons after demonstrators threw stones and injured at least two officers; rioters also looted stores and damaged the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Similar disturbances were reported in Turin, where participants were stopped carrying cobblestones and hammers, and in Bologna, where the railway station was temporarily closed. Police unions said dozens of officers were injured across the cities, and the interior ministry confirmed around 100 officers were hurt and about 30 arrests were made in Turin.

Mayor Giuseppe Sala of Milan acknowledged that while the reasons for the protests were understandable, the attacks on law-enforcement and the resulting property damage were not justified. Meloni also expressed respect for the thousands who protested peacefully, describing peaceful demonstration as "the foundation of any healthy democracy".

Francesco Filini, a member of Meloni's Fratelli d’Italia party, warned that organized left-wing groups were responsible for the destruction, stating that such actions could no longer be tolerated.