Milan saw a second consecutive day of street violence on Sunday, as masked youths clashed with police around the central Duomo square, hurling bottles, ransacking shops, and setting scooters and bicycles alight. The unrest, which began on Saturday on the fringes of a sanctioned demonstration against the rising cost of living, has led to more than 200 arrests, according to the Italian news agency Ansa.
Police deployed tear gas and water cannon to disperse groups in the square, while video footage showed young people, many wearing masks, throwing objects at police vehicles. A supermarket on a shopping street near the Duomo was looted, rubbish bins were overturned, and property was vandalised.
Giuseppe Sala, the mayor of Milan, said he had witnessed “smashed shop windows, looted stores, and frightened citizens.” He described the events as part of a broader international phenomenon, telling Ansa: “What happened here is what we are seeing in many cities around the world. I’m very worried because it’s a new phenomenon, which also originates from an international scenario and therefore feeds itself.”
Government response
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called for a security meeting on Monday to address the violence, which she said echoed scenes of chaos and looting seen in Paris. On Saturday, she condemned the perpetrators as “thugs who exploit demonstrations to spread chaos, attack those who guarantee security, and hold entire cities hostage.”
The clashes in Milan were not isolated. Similar disturbances occurred in the northern cities of Bologna and Turin following other protests, reflecting a wider pattern of social unrest across Europe as households struggle with soaring energy bills, food prices, and housing costs.
Italy has been particularly hard hit by the cost-of-living crisis, with inflation eroding wages and pensions. The protests have drawn a mix of labour unions, student groups, and anarchist collectives, though the violent fringe appears to be a small minority.
Analysts point to a growing disconnect between institutional politics and street-level anger. “The government’s focus on security is understandable, but it risks ignoring the underlying economic grievances that are fuelling these protests,” said Lorenzo Pregliasco, a political analyst based in Turin.
The situation in Milan has drawn comparisons to recent unrest in France, where Paris has seen repeated clashes over living costs. In Lyon, violent protests left a central district in ruins, and in Marseille, demonstrators stormed the town hall. The pattern has raised concerns about a broader European wave of instability.
Local authorities in Milan are now assessing the damage, with shopkeepers and residents expressing shock. “We are not used to this kind of violence in our city,” said Marco, a bar owner near the Duomo. “People are scared, and they want to know why this is happening.”
The government’s security meeting on Monday is expected to discuss measures to prevent further escalation, including possible bans on masks at demonstrations and increased police presence in city centres. However, critics argue that such measures may only inflame tensions.
As Europe grapples with the economic fallout of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the cost-of-living protests have become a recurring feature of the political landscape. The wage-price squeeze is hitting households across the continent, and governments are struggling to respond effectively.
For now, Milan is counting the cost of a weekend of violence that has left the city on edge. The question is whether the authorities can restore order without deepening the sense of alienation that drives such unrest.
