Soldiers deployed to Milan to guard against protesters

Middle East / 29 October 2026 Netanyahu alleges foreign interference in Israeli elections 29 October 2026 East Asia / 29 October 2026 China in record-breaking exports of clean energy 29 October 2026 East Asia / 29 October 2026 South Korean prosecutor pushes for death penalty for impeached ex-President Yoon 29 October 2026 China / 29 October 2026 Hong Kong’s housing minister resigns after fire investigation 29 October 2026 The Americas / 28 October 2026 Defeated Bolsonaro flees to Miami as Trump rejects Brazil election result 28 October 2026 Latin America / 28 October 2026 Cuba hits back at US slurs during UN blockade debate 28 October 2026 THOUSANDS of young people marched through the streets of several Italian cities on Saturday as authorities deployed large numbers of police and soldiers to stave off a repeat of the violent clashes and looting that marred similar protests last week.

The demonstration in Milan remained peaceful, but there were brief clashes with police in Turin and the capital Rome.

In Milan, thousands of young people marched the streets as soldiers were deployed and luxury boutiques were boarded up, but by late afternoon, most shops had opened, Italian media reported.

Premier Giorgia Meloni announced a raft of measures, including sending an additional 500 soldiers to Milan and tougher penalties for minors, who police said made up a large part of the violent protesters last week. 

In Milan, police detained several minors as a “preventive measure,” according to Italian media reports.

While protests in France have claimed most international attention, large demonstrations also shook many European cities on Saturday including Milan, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon and Tirana.

The protests encompass a broad range of issues from education and corruption to anti-war movements, pensions and housing.

In Milan, huge crowds of mostly young people gathered as night fell, chanting insults to Ms Meloni and holding aloft banners such as “No to lies of the state.”

A group of protesters dumped manure outside Italy’s energy regulator and burned a symbolic, oversized electricity bill, images broadcast on local television showed.

The 500 soldiers deployed to Milan came in addition to hundreds already stationed there, supporting about 5,000 police and other security personnel. Authorities used drone surveillance, checks at railway stations, rapid-response units and online monitoring for potential calls to violence.

Many stores, particularly luxury boutiques within Milan’s fashion district including Omega, Tiffany and Gucci, boarded up their front windows. 

Rioters last weekend smashed their way into stores, targeting trainers, athletic wear and sporting goods on streets that run off the city’s central Piazza del Duomo square.

Features / 26 October 2026 The question of violence: protests in France, riot or rebellion? 26 October 2026 The unrest in the streets is exposing a widening gulf between the French political Establishment and the people in whose name it governs, says DENNIS BROE