Police use tear gas and water cannon amid protests in Milan and Bologna
Police deployed tear gas in Milan and a water cannon in Bologna as protests over the cost of living turned violent, resulting in injuries and arrests.
Police in Milan fired tear gas on Saturday after being struck by stones thrown by demonstrators in the square in front of the city's Gothic cathedral, Italian media reported. The unrest spread to the nearby Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, where officers in riot gear attempted to clear hooded protesters, prompting shops to close shutters and tourists to leave the area. The Duomo metro station was temporarily closed, and several people were reported injured.
In Bologna, police used a water cannon to disperse crowds and arrested seven individuals after the protest escalated, according to the ANSA news agency. The demonstrations in both cities were linked to public discontent over rising living costs.
"Demonstrating is a right. Turning our cities into battlegrounds is not," Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on X, condemning the violence.
The incidents occurred amid broader unrest in neighboring France, where large-scale protests over cost of living and public services have also turned violent.