After Saturday, groups of young people attacked the shop windows again: first in Piazza Duomo, Via Torino, Piazza Castello, then moving to other areas. Shops and a supermarket were looted, terraces and tables destroyed. Officers in riot gear responded to the throwing of objects and paper bombs with water cannons and tear gas. Over 200 people at the police station, mostly minors. Sala: "Total condemnation". Meloni calls a meeting on public order: "Let's evaluate other tools for those who exploit demonstrations to sow chaos"
After yesterday's urban guerrilla warfare, riots and tensions were recorded in Milan today too - Sunday 18 October. The clashes began in the afternoon in the center of the city, between Piazza Duomo, Via Torino and Largo Cairoli, and then spread to other areas: small groups of young people struck with mini raids, damaging the shops and then moving quickly towards other targets. Several shop windows were smashed, also using tables, chairs and scooters. A supermarket and several outlets were looted, with goods taken away. The outdoor areas of some premises were destroyed. The police in riot gear, at whom various objects were thrown, such as bottles and paper bombs, responded with tear gas. The fire hydrants are also in action. Over 200 people were taken to the police station, mostly minors.
Mayor Sala: "Total condemnation, no room for understanding". Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, meanwhile, has called a summit for Monday: "I have called a meeting on public order at Palazzo Chigi, to take stock of the situation and evaluate further tools against those who exploit legitimate demonstrations to sow violence and chaos", she wrote on social media. The League urges: "Immediately a decree, preventive detention also for minors".
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Landini: "We condemn criminal actions"
“The violence and looting that is affecting the city of Milan in these hours are criminal, serious, unacceptable actions and should be condemned”. Thus, in a note, the general secretary of the CGIL Maurizio Landini. "In the face of all this - adds the leader of the Confederation - I feel the need to express the CGIL's support for the state police forces and the municipal administration who find themselves facing a completely new situation and having to guarantee respect for legality and civil coexistence".
Scalfarotto (IV): "Failure of prevention, Piantedosi and Meloni must answer for it in the Senate"
"Second day in a row of guerrilla warfare in the center of Milan. Yesterday solidarity with the police, today the question that no one can avoid: after Saturday's devastation, how is it possible that the Interior Ministry has left the center to the troublemakers again? Those who demonstrate peacefully have all the rights, those who devastate no one. But here the failure of prevention and containment is the government's: Meloni and Piantedosi must answer for it, starting with an urgent information in the Senate". Senator Ivan Scalfarotto, president of Italia viva Milano Metropolitana, writes it in X.
Center-right tomorrow in the square in Milan, demonstration for traders and law enforcement
"After the devastating fury that struck the heart of Milan, the center-right takes to the streets to give a strong, united and concrete signal of closeness to those who have suffered the violence of criminals and antagonists. Tomorrow, Monday 19 October, at 6 pm we will be in Piazza San Carlo for a solidarity demonstration in support of the damaged traders, the attacked police forces and all the good citizens who love and respect our city". This was announced in a joint note by the citizen coordinators of the Milanese centre-right: Simone Orlandi (Fratelli d'Italia), Mariangela Padalino (Noi Moderati), Samuele Piscina (Lega) and Cristina Rossello (Forza Italia).
Sulpl: "Throwing a fire extinguisher against local police cars, we cannot remain alone in the face of increasingly higher risks"
"The throwing of a fire extinguisher at a Local Police vehicle is a very serious episode: only due to fortuitous circumstances did it not lead to dramatic consequences. Concrete protection, safety and full recognition of the role of the officers are needed." Sulpl writes this in a note, expressing "its full and unconditional solidarity with all the women and men of the Police Force who, in the last few hours, have been called to deal with the very serious episodes of violence that occurred in Milan. A particular thought goes to the colleagues of the Local Police involved in the clashes, called once again to operate in extremely critical conditions, putting their personal safety at risk to guarantee public safety".
Who is the policeman mentioned by Meloni
In her post on social media, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni published a photo of Angelo de Simone, first director of the State Police, head of the Garibaldi-Venice police station. During yesterday's riots in Milan, the policeman was hit by a cobblestone thrown at him and was photographed with a head wound. Today the policeman returned to guard Piazza Duomo because, he said, "we must guarantee the safety of the city". Angelo de Simone, 55, has managed hundreds of high-voltage events, including pro-Gaza marches and fan demonstrations. He has always worked in the field, even in problematic areas such as those around the Central station and Porta Garibaldi. He returned to Milan after the Covid pandemic: in 2020, after directing the Greco-Turro police station, he led the Anti-Crime Division of the Novara Police Headquarters once promoted to first director of the State Police.
Tajani and the Fi meeting on security
In the afternoon, from what emerged, an extraordinary meeting of the leaders of Forza Italia was held, chaired by the national secretary Antonio Tajani, after the riots that affected Milan and other cities. Forza Italia, we read in a note, requests the sending of "further units of the police forces and the armed forces already dedicated to maintaining security, in order to also strengthen the Strade Sicure devices. It is necessary to equip the police forces with the regulatory and regulatory tools to proceed with the arrest of minors, especially in cases of devastation and looting, and speed up the legislative process of the rules that make minors between 14 and 17 years of age more easily attributable. Forza Italia also suggests convening the Council of Ministers in Milan, as a sign of the presence of the State and of closeness and solidarity with citizens and businesses who have been unjustly damaged".
Meloni: “The State is not an abstract concept”
In his post, Meloni published the photo of Angelo de Simone, first director of the State Police, head of the Garibaldi-Venice police station in Milan, who yesterday was injured in the head by a cobblestone and continued to guard Piazza Duomo. "With an uncovered face, wounded, without retreating. In front of him, those who hide behind a hood to strike and destroy. The State is not an abstract concept. It is made up of people who, with courage and a sense of duty, remain in their place when others choose violence", wrote the prime minister.
Meloni: "We are evaluating other tools for those who exploit the marches to sow chaos"
In the evening, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni intervened with a post on social media. "Tomorrow I have called a meeting on public order at Palazzo Chigi, to take stock of the situation and evaluate further tools against those who exploit legitimate demonstrations to sow violence and chaos. Defending citizens, those who live honestly and those who guarantee everyone's safety comes before any indulgence towards the violent", we read in the post.
Firefighters "free" stranded tourists
During the clashes in the center of Milan, a dozen tourists tried to find safety by entering a tunnel in via Armorari and closing the gates of both exits. The group therefore remained locked inside and the firefighters needed to be "freed".
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Piantedosi a Sala: 'Radical chic'. Mayor: 'Decency wouldn't hurt'
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Unrest also in Piazzale Cadorna
The unrest also affected other areas of Milan: the forces of the order moved towards Via Meravigli and Piazzale Cadorna, where there is a train station and where various groups are reported to be in action.
Piantedosi meeting with the police leaders and the Milan police commissioner
From what emerged, in the afternoon the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi participated in a meeting with the police chief and the top executives of the Interior Ministry to take stock of the unrest situation in Milan. Connected remotely, the police commissioner of Milan Bruno Megale also participated. Over 200 people were brought to the police station.
About ten people were arrested in San Babila
About ten people were stopped near San Babila by police officers in riot gear: the group was in front of the Foot Locker store which was damaged yesterday and attempted to escape, then was stopped by the officers.
A Rinascente window in Piazza Duomo was smashed
Some young people, after entering the Vittorio Emanuele II gallery, smashed a window of the Rinascente in Piazza Duomo. Then they headed to McDonald's, against whose windows they threw rocks. A group then moved towards Piazza della Scala, continuing to overturn baskets and bikes. In front of the Teatro alla Scala, where a Philharmonic concert conducted by Riccardo Chailly is scheduled for this evening, there are several police vehicles.
Premises looted and damaged in the Moscova area
Moments of tension in Milan were also recorded in the Moscova area, between Largo La Foppa, Via Moscova and Corso Garibaldi, in what is known as the nightlife area which attracts young people and tourists at the weekend. Here too, several rooms were damaged and shops looted before the arrival of the police.
Governor Fontana: “The city cannot be held hostage by criminals"
"Jackals, thieves, violent people. Smashed windows, looted shops, defaced historical monuments. The images arriving from the center of Milan are images of raids, not of student demonstrations", wrote the president of the Lombardy Region Attilio Fontana on social media, commenting on what is also happening today in Milan. “Our cities cannot be held hostage by these criminals,” he added.
Take 160 people to the police station: 80% are minors
Sources from the Security Department and the Police Headquarters declared that 160 people were taken to the police station today in Milan, after the riots in the centre: 80% are minors.
Throwing bottles and stones
Today's riots are affecting the streets around Piazza Duomo, Via Torino, Piazzale Cairoli and the Sforzesco Castle. Some groups are also moving to other areas of the city. The officers in riot gear move to the critical points and respond to the throwing of bottles and stones with tear gas. Some people started a small fire near the fountain in front of the Castle, with material recovered on the street.
Shop windows destroyed and shops looted
In the center there are several shop windows destroyed and shops looted by groups of people. In some cases, shop windows were smashed using scooters. Some shops were looted: the young people, after entering the shops, fled with dozens of items of clothing in their hands. Stones, bins and paper bombs were thrown at the police, who responded with water cannons and tear gas.
About a hundred people were accompanied to the police station
On the second day of protests, around a hundred people have been accompanied to the police station in Milan so far: in particular, around 160 people have been arrested, mostly minors. After the formalities for identifying the people, who were taken to the offices in via Fatebenefratelli, some of them could be reported for resistance and devastation. In the square mostly young people with black overalls and covered faces. Added to the damage recorded yesterday were new windows shattered, signage torn down, bar tables and chairs destroyed, a supermarket and several outlets looted. The Duomo metro stop is closed as a precaution.
The closure of the Duomo to tourists has been brought forward
While there were riots and attacks on shops in the center of Milan, it was decided to bring forward the closure of the Cathedral: while access to tourists was blocked earlier than usual, the celebrations took place regularly - including mass which ended at 6.30pm - then the faithful were made to leave through the side door of the cathedral.
In Milan the mini blitz strategy
As the experts explain, mini-blitzes are underway in the center of Milan at the moment: small groups are moving quickly, identifying the points where the police are not present at that moment, and devastating everything around them. They then flee, before starting again at another point. An urban "guerrilla" action involving the shops between Via Torino, Piazza Duomo, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Piazza Castello.
Decathlon looted in Piazza Castello
Among the looted shops there was also Decathlon in Piazza Castello: after destroying the windows, some people entered the store and took away various goods, such as sweatshirts, sweaters and trousers.
Stones and firecrackers against the police in Largo Cairoli
Stones and firecrackers were also thrown at the police in Largo Cairoli, where the officers arrived after the Decathlon store was vandalised. The protest, which began in the Duomo area, moved towards the Sforzesco Castle. Along the route there was damage, bins on fire and windows smashed.
In the Galleria the bars are closing and the terraces have been removed
In the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, where there were already scuffles and riots yesterday, some of the most famous bars in Milan have closed and are dismantling the terraces for fear of a repeat of yesterday's damage: away with the tables, the glass partitions, the booths and
