Italian Defense Minister: Milan Unrest Reflects Hybrid War via Social Media

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said the recent unrest in Milan and elsewhere stems from a "hybrid war" waged through social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube, which the West fails to recognize or counter. Speaking at the Defense Procurement Forum in Rome, Crosetto argued that these events differ fundamentally from past episodes. He noted that if three in ten young people participated in protests, and six in ten share their views, it indicates a "counter-education" received outside family and school. This counter-education, he said, instills values and a worldview in conflict with democratic rules and the society these young people live in. He distinguished this from issues of second-generation Italians or so-called "maranza" youth subculture.