Italy Deploys 500 Paratroopers as New Security Decree Targets Milan Rioters with Up to 20-Year Sentences

Italy is deploying 500 paratroopers and military assets to secure Milan on Saturday, October 24, amid fears of new unrest, but the government's primary tool is a new Security Decree taking effect today that sharply increases penalties for urban disorder. The decree also shifts the burden of proof for minors' criminal imputability from prosecutors to the defense, raising legal costs for families. Lawyer Davide Mustari told Fanpage.it that those accused of the October 17 clashes face up to 20 years for aggravated robbery, which is an "ostative" crime requiring immediate imprisonment upon conviction, while devastation and looting carry 8-15 years. A new Article 420 crime of "organized violence in public demonstrations" carries 2-5 years for participants, up to 12 for organizers, and applies even in peaceful protests where an individual causes damage. The decree also lets Prefects issue direct compensation orders for damage to public property, bypassing courts and cutting resolution time from 3-4 years to about 8 months. Mustari criticized using an emergency decree for new crimes, noting it bypasses parliamentary debate, though it must be converted into law within 60 days.