Italy: government to deploy 500 soldiers in Milan after violent clashes

Rome is preparing to send 500 troops to Milan after looting and clashes between police and protesters over the weekend prompted some luxury brands to close their stores in the northern Italian city. High school students, students, farmers and truck drivers are protesting across Italy, mainly against the rising cost of living.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday is expected to give the green light to the deployment of the army and approve police powers for the military who will temporarily support law enforcement in the city. Hundreds of demonstrators were arrested during two days of clashes in Milan, Saturday and Sunday, during which dozens of police officers were injured. Several stores in the Italian fashion capital were looted and some stores remained closed this week, while others removed their windows and increased security.

A series of “immediate responses”

Further protests are expected on Saturday. The government is also considering broader crackdowns, including restrictions on public gatherings, a relaxation of rules for detaining minors and tougher sanctions against their parents. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini called the clashes “shameful” and said the Council of Ministers would announce a series of “immediate responses,” including the deployment of troops.

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Monday on X that he hoped the Council of Ministers would approve provisions allowing the army “to act like the police forces.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Saturday that the perpetrators of the violence were “thugs who exploit the protests to sow chaos, attack those who guarantee security and hold entire cities hostage.” “Protesting is a right. Putting our cities on fire and blood is not,” she wrote on