European Cities See Mass Protests as Soldiers Guard Milan

Thousands of protesters marched across European cities Saturday, with soldiers guarding Milan's center as authorities sought to prevent a repeat of last week's violent clashes and looting in Italy. In Milan, thousands of young people demonstrated peacefully, though brief clashes occurred in Rome and Turin. Premier Giorgia Meloni deployed 500 additional soldiers to Milan and announced tougher penalties for minors, who police said comprised much of last week's violence. Luxury boutiques boarded up their windows, and police detained several minors preventively. Protests also occurred in Madrid, Lisbon, and Tirana, addressing issues from education and corruption to pensions and housing. In Albania's capital, riot police used water cannons as protesters set government buildings on fire. Spanish retirees marched over pension privatization concerns, while Lisbon demonstrators demanded affordable housing.