Italy cost-of-living protests turn violent in Milan, Turin, and Bologna

Protests against the cost of living and taxes in Italy turned violent on Sunday, with clashes in Milan, Turin, and Bologna, leaving police and protesters injured and dozens detained. The demonstrations escalated into guerrilla warfare, with black-clad youths attacking police in Milan's Piazza Duomo. In Milan, over 50 people were detained, half of them minors, while four officers and 20 protesters were injured. Authorities say the violent groups, self-organized from peripheries and other provinces, overwhelmed the main protest, forcing police to retreat before encircling the square. In Turin, organizers failed to prevent hooded infiltrators from taking over, and in Bologna, clashes near the station involved projectiles and tear gas. The government condemned the violence, with Premier Giorgia Meloni urging opposition parties to avoid ambiguity, while Deputy Premiers accused left-wing groups of fueling unrest. Milan's mayor Giuseppe Sala acknowledged the protest's legitimate grievances but called the violence unjustifiable, urging political wisdom over electoral exploitation. Damage assessments are ongoing.