High alert in Italy and France

Police forces in Rome, Milan and other Italian cities were put on high alert ahead of Saturday's anti-government demonstrations. The authorities fear that, just like last week, there may be riots and acts of vandalism.

Mysterious Movement on October 17

The protests in Italy are organized by the so-called The October 17 Movement, about which little is known except that it was founded after brutal clashes in Milan.

Then there were attacks on the police, looting of shops and numerous destructions, and the majority of those detained were minors. "We decided to change the strategy of protests in cities," the organizers announced in one of the publications.

The movement announced demonstrations in Rome, Milan, Turin, Genoa, Florence, Padua, Bologna and Bari. The authorities fear that there may be a repeat of the riots, so police and military patrols have been reinforced in Milan, especially around the main station and the city center.

Shop owners, especially luxury boutiques, have secured their windows with protective panels, and some showrooms will remain closed.

Rome and Milan under special supervision

In Rome, 1,500 police officers will guard the city center and main shopping streets. Officers will use drones and helicopters, and cybersecurity specialists monitor social media in search of potential threats.

On Friday, the services detained about a hundred people, half of them minors.

France: 70,000 officers on the streets

Similar security measures were introduced in France, where a week earlier there were riots and looting during protests.

The authorities mobilized as many as 70,000 police and gendarmes, which is 20 percent more than during previous demonstrations. Demonstrations are organized by high school students, students, trade unions and social groups affected by the rising cost of living.

In Paris, the most important museums will be closed, including the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, and 24 metro stations will be closed to traffic. Traders, fearing a repeat of the riots, are securing stores and considering closing them, even though the weekend before November 1 is traditionally a period of increased customer traffic.

Authorities in both Italy and France are calling for calm and common sense.