Florence luxury shops board up windows ahead of Saturday protest

Florence luxury boutiques on Via Tornabuoni and Via degli Strozzi are boarding up their windows ahead of a Saturday protest against the cost of living, fearing vandalism. Workers were installing wooden panels late Friday night. The precautionary measures follow riots in Milan on October 17, where youths looted stores and smashed windows. Police will deploy hundreds of officers in Florence, with concerns about copycat violence from groups targeting the historic center. Organizers of the "Movimento 17 Ottobre" protest have changed their tactics, announcing meeting points only at the last minute. They will reveal three gathering spots per city at 2:30 PM, with a final square announced at 3:30 PM.