Italian Police Raids Target Protesters Ahead of Weekend Demonstrations

Italian police conducted preemptive searches in 18 cities ahead of weekend protests, targeting about 100 people identified in last week's riots, half of them minors. The Interior Ministry action comes as the new Movimento 17 ottobre announced surprise protest locations at the last minute. Police seized phones, computers, weapons, ammunition, knives, batons, gasoline cans, and stolen goods in dawn raids from Arezzo to Naples. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi confirmed coordination among rioters but declined to speculate on broader orchestration. In Bari, authorities identified a group of youths planning to loot luxury and electronics stores. The Movimento 17 ottobre cancelled announced protest sites, saying they will reveal three gathering points at 2:30 PM and a final square one hour later. Police will deploy drones and monitor social media, while police chief Vittorio Pisani emphasized police are not protesters' adversaries.