Thousands march in Milan, Rome and Turin amid heightened police and military presence
Young demonstrators gathered in several Italian cities on Saturday, with authorities deploying thousands of police and additional soldiers to prevent a repeat of last week's violence.
Thousands of young people marched through Milan, Rome and Turin on Saturday while police and soldiers were deployed to deter the clashes and looting that occurred during protests the previous week. In Milan the demonstration remained largely peaceful, although brief confrontations were reported in Rome and Turin.
Premier Giorgia Meloni announced measures that include sending an extra 500 soldiers to Milan and increasing penalties for minors, who police said comprised a large share of the earlier violent protesters. Police detained several minors in Milan as a preventive step.
The city saw luxury boutiques board up their windows and the Apple store close, but most shops reopened by late afternoon. Army vehicles and drone surveillance were used, and security forces conducted checks at railway stations and monitored online activity for signs of unrest.
"I think the images from last week were truly something terrible, especially for the young people, for the students, for the vast majority of the younger generations who want to study ... and do not accept being represented by those who use issues and needs to devastate entire cities," said Riccardo Ponzio, national president of an Italian far-right student association.
"The soldiers deployed Saturday were only recently allowed to use plastic restraint ties and only in areas around train stations, not throughout the city. They are not authorized to carry pepper spray or tasers," Defense Minister Guido Crosetto explained.
In Rome, luxury shopping streets were locked down and controls were heightened around historic sites. A small group attempted to enter the Colosseum but were escorted out by guards. An anti-war march in central Rome briefly clashed with police near Piazza della Repubblica before retreating when water cannons were deployed.
Outside Italy, protests also took place in Madrid, Lisbon, Tirana and other European capitals, covering issues such as education costs, corruption, pensions and housing.
"They are threatening us with privatizing pensions. It's just another thing they want to profit from," said Maria José Benito, 68, who joined the pension demonstration in Madrid.
Authorities in Albania used water cannons against protesters who set government buildings on fire, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's Socialist Party warned against privatization of public pensions ahead of a snap election.
Overall, the coordinated security effort involved about 5,000 police officers, hundreds of soldiers already stationed in Milan and the additional 500 troops, as well as rapid-response units and online monitoring to keep the protests largely peaceful.