Italy Stations 500 Soldiers in Milan Ahead of Saturday Rallies

Security forces have positioned 500 soldiers in Milan ahead of protests scheduled for Saturday in eight Italian cities. The demonstrations target Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government and rising living costs. This mobilization follows a week of clashes and looting in the financial capital.

The October 17 Movement, a coalition of student federations, trade unions, and antiwar groups, announced the new round of demonstrations online. The group stated on Instagram that it distrusts the government for appearing authoritarian. Organizers kept the specific meeting locations secret until the final hour, planning to reveal three points on social media on Saturday afternoon.

Police conducted raids and searches in several cities on Friday to identify suspects involved in previous unrest. Adnkronos reported these initial actions, while officers carried out an additional 150 raids in the Lombardy region on Saturday morning. Authorities have also questioned the administrator of the movement's Instagram page, a 30-year-old freelance journalist and researcher. The Corriere della Sera reported he is under investigation for inciting crimes.

Arrests from the previous weekend's unrest resulted in the detention of 271 people. Of that group, 220 were under the age of 18. The daily Corriere della Sera noted that some minors joined after being unexpectedly added to Telegram groups. One arrested youth recalled being told the group would create chaos and allow participants to take goods.

Michele D'Agostino, a lawyer representing a 15-year-old and a 21-year-old, said the teenager learned about the protest through TikTok. The attorney stated the minor did not understand the seriousness of the event and was not among the looters. The public prosecutor attributed the mobilization of young people to social media, describing the resulting actions as insurrectional.

Justice Minister Carlo Nordio told Sky TG24 that Italy must expand its youth detention facilities to handle the volume of arrests. The government also responded to a separate protest by truck drivers in southern Italy, who blocked roads to demand relief from high fuel prices. Officials granted tax breaks and established a special fund for farmers and fishermen on Thursday.

Participants in the new movement emphasized a desire for peaceful dissent. A member identified as E said on Thursday that the group must remain peaceful to avoid giving police an excuse to charge. Another member, identified as Q, asserted there is no distinction between violent and peaceful protesters.