Demonstrations against the war and higher living costs spread across several major Italian cities on Saturday, and some turned violent a week after unrest broke out nationwide. Authorities put a heavy police presence on the streets, and many shops closed as a precaution against possible damage.
Clashes in Turin, Rome and Bologna, calm in Milan
The protests followed a weekend of clashes in which demonstrators fought with police, looted shops and damaged property. This time, the demonstrations were violent in Turin, Rome and Bologna, where officers and protesters clashed, but they were largely peaceful in Milan. Witnesses on the ground said they did not see any shops looted or property vandalised.
Police detain suspect linked to October 17 Movement
After calls for more demonstrations circulated on social media this week, authorities arranged extensive security and deployed large numbers of officers to prevent a repeat of last weekend’s violence. Earlier on Saturday, police said they had detained a person allegedly linked to organising the “October 17 Movement“, which was behind last weekend’s protests. The person was taken to police headquarters in Milan for questioning.
