Florence shuts down as protests and online disinformation paralyze the city

Florence was paralyzed on Saturday as shops, hotels, and businesses closed or reinforced security ahead of protests, with online disinformation fueling widespread fear and uncertainty across the city. Numerous luxury stores on Via de' Tornabuoni and other streets boarded up their windows, while goldsmiths on the Ponte Vecchio shut their doors. Hotels hired private security guards to protect entrances and escort guests, and some venues like the Giunti Odeon cinema closed entirely, citing safety reasons. The leaderless protest movement deliberately used disorientation tactics, leaving even demonstrators confused about gathering points. The economic impact is expected to be significant, with category associations set to calculate losses from the day of tension, which disrupted business well before any actual clashes occurred.