Italy Protests Turn Violent: Dozens Detained, Many Minors, as Meloni Condemns Chaos

Protests against the rising cost of living in several Italian cities turned violent on Saturday, resulting in dozens of detentions, many of them minors, and prompting Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to condemn the unrest and criticize the opposition. Clashes erupted in Milan, Turin, Bologna, and Bergamo, with masked youths throwing stones and firecrackers at police, who responded with water cannons and tear gas. In Milan alone, over 50 young people were detained, half of them minors, and 25 people were injured, including 10 police officers. Meloni stated that while demonstrating is a right, "setting our cities on fire is not," and urged opposition parties to condemn the violence without ambiguity. Milan's mayor, Giuseppe Sala, cautioned against political exploitation of the events, saying the protests' reasons were understandable but the violence unjustifiable.