Italy is deploying 500 additional soldiers to Milan following two days of rioting that caused more than €1 million in property damage, injured 14 police officers and prompted retailers, including luxury fashion houses, to close their shops amid fears of further violence.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini announced the deployment on Monday after an emergency security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The government is preparing tougher measures against violent protesters and youth gangs following the unrest, which saw businesses ransacked and clashes between demonstrators and police in the city centre.
“From words to action: 500 more troops to defend Milan,” Salvini, leader of the right-wing League party, wrote on social media.
The riots began over the weekend during demonstrations against rising living costs and deteriorating public services. Initially peaceful rallies escalated when hundreds of hooded youths attacked police, set barricades on fire and looted shops around Piazza del Duomo, Milan’s central square.
Riot police responded with tear gas and water cannons as demonstrators threw bottles and other projectiles. Among the businesses targeted were Decathlon, Arc’teryx and Vodafone. Several retailers subsequently boarded up damaged storefronts, while others removed merchandise from display windows to reduce the risk of further losses.
According to figures reported by the ANSA news agency, police detained 271 people on Sunday alone and formally arrested 32, including 23 minors and 13 foreign nationals. A further 28 people were referred to the judicial authorities. Fourteen police officers were injured during the disturbances.
Local prosecutors estimated that damage exceeded €1 million, excluding lost sales. The losses included smashed windows, vandalised premises and stolen merchandise. Prosecutors described the destruction as unusually extensive.
The violence prompted a precautionary response from retailers in Milan’s high-end shopping districts. Luxury brands Chanel, Hermès and Pomellato closed their doors on Monday, while other premium shops cleared their display windows as concerns grew over the possibility of renewed attacks.
Salvini rejected attempts to explain the violence through economic hardship, accusing the rioters of deliberately seeking confrontations with police. “This is not social distress,” he said.
He called for tougher legislation that would allow preventive detention of minors and arrests based on video evidence of looting. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also promised a firm response, while reports indicated that the government could accelerate measures targeting violent youth gangs.
Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala condemned the destruction as “unacceptable and unjustifiable” and warned that tensions remained high. His remarks came as the government moved to strengthen security following the weekend’s confrontations.
The unrest in Milan coincided with violent protests in neighbouring France, where demonstrations over rising prices, deteriorating public services and government spending cuts escalated into widespread rioting. French authorities reported nearly 2,400 arrests over the weekend, alongside the looting of hundreds of businesses and fires at public buildings.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced localised curfews on Monday as President Emmanuel Macron faced mounting criticism over the government’s handling of the violence.
