Italy detains hundreds after cost-of-living protests turn violent in several cities

Authorities across Italy took hundreds of people into custody during nationwide protests against soaring living costs, with youth involvement drawing particular concern from officials. Police confirmed nine arrests and the brief detention of 371 individuals across eight cities, according to reports from Euronews and local media.

Young people featured prominently in the weekend actions, with Euronews reporting that 110 of those temporarily detained were minors. While military personnel stationed in Milan helped prevent disturbances there, confrontations broke out between demonstrators and law enforcement in other major urban centers, including Rome and Turin, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

In cities such as Rome, Turin, Naples, Bologna, and Florence, protesters hurled projectiles including stones, bottles, and pyrotechnics. In addition to street-level arrests, authorities apprehended a 30-year-old man believed to have organized the demonstrations under the banner of the October 17 Movement, CBS reported.

The latest unrest follows intense rioting the previous weekend in Milan's central shopping district, where approximately 2,000 youths engaged in property destruction and looting. That earlier violence, which resulted in dozens of detentions—the majority involving underage participants—prompted the Italian government to escalate its law enforcement measures. In Milan alone, 500 soldiers have been deployed to maintain street order through the end of 2026.

Demonstrators across the country are voicing anger over steep inflation, poor compensation, soaring rental prices, and deteriorating municipal services. The unrest reflects a broader wave of economic frustration spanning parts of Europe, including massive demonstrations in France where more than 1,000 people were arrested, as well as clashes in Albania.

In response to the escalating violence, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's cabinet passed a decree introducing a distinct criminal offense for violent conduct during public assemblies, alongside stiffer penalties. Under the proposed rules, parents can face financial responsibility for vandalism and looting carried out by their children, and law enforcement can detain minors aged 14 to 17 deemed hazardous, even before a crime takes place. The emergency decree requires parliamentary approval within 60 days to take permanent effect.

Meloni emphasized that while peaceful assembly remains protected, public safety must be maintained. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi praised police for isolating violent actors with restraint, while Justice Minister Carlo Nordio urged an expansion of detention facilities for juveniles. The cost-of-living crisis poses an ongoing challenge for the governing coalition ahead of national elections scheduled for 2027.