Italy's far-right government proposes military crackdown and juvenile prison expansion after weekend unrest

Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio announced plans for mass arrests of minors and expanding juvenile prisons following weekend unrest, while Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini suggested deploying 500 paratroopers in Milan with armored Lince vehicles and drones. The proposals sparked strong opposition backlash. Nordio stated the juvenile detention system is under strain and proposed allocating funds to increase capacity or converting adult prison sections for minors. He defended the new decree as protecting peaceful protest while preventing devastation, and noted soldiers have long assisted police in non-judicial roles. Opposition leaders condemned the measures, with PD's Michela Di Biase calling them "very serious" and accusing the government of abandoning youth rehabilitation for penal populism. Five Star Movement's Sergio Costa warned that housing minors with adults violates UN conventions on children's rights and risks creating more criminals.