Italian youth protest in Milan over costs and police presence

Thousands of young people marched in Milan on Saturday to protest rising living costs and the government's heavy police deployment, with demonstrations turning violent in several Italian cities. Protesters chanted slogans against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and denounced high rents and inadequate conditions in Milan. Student Davide, 23, criticized the government for spending on weapons rather than education and peripheral neighborhoods, calling Milan "totally militarized" with 1,400 security personnel deployed. The protests follow violent riots in Milan last week and spread to Rome and Bologna, where clashes erupted with barricades, fires, and water cannons. In Rome, dozens briefly entered the Colosseum, though no damage was reported. Police identified over 200 young people in pre-protest checks across the country.