Italian students protest Meloni government over education, climate, and military spending

Tens of thousands of students protested in major Italian cities on Friday against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, demanding climate action, education improvements, and an end to rising military spending. Organized by student groups and environmental organizations under slogans like "No Meloni Day," protests occurred in Rome, Milan, Bologna, and other cities. Demonstrators called for investing €13 billion allocated for rearmament into education, citing crumbling school infrastructure, and rejected a new 30% cap on foreign students in classrooms. Most marches were peaceful, though isolated clashes with police occurred in Rome and Bologna. The protests coincided with a global Fridays for Future climate strike, with activists also announcing a general strike for October 30.