Milan Protest Turns Violent as 500 Youths Clash With Police

A Saturday protest in Milan against the cost of living escalated into urban guerrilla warfare, with around 500 young people clashing with police, throwing paper bombs and stones, and damaging storefronts in the city center. Dozens of officers were injured, and about 50 people were detained, nearly half of them minors. The violence began when a group split from a larger demonstration of 5,000 people, attacking officers near the Duomo cathedral with cobblestones and fire extinguishers. Police responded with tear gas, forcing tourists to shelter in shops and the metro, while the assailants, many wearing hoods and tracksuits, also looted a Foot Locker store. The unrest follows similar protests in smaller Lombard towns and occurred alongside clashes in Bologna and Turin, raising fears of further violence on upcoming weekends. The protest lacked clear leadership, and student collectives publicly distanced themselves from the rioters.