Meloni Condemns Violence as Cost-of-Living Protests Turn Violent in Italy
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned violence during cost-of-living protests and voiced support for police after clashes in several cities. In…
Anger over high prices and affordable housing spilled into street clashes in Italy. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence during cost-of-living protests and expressed solidarity with police after confrontations in several cities on Saturday.
In Milan, at least four police officers and 20 demonstrators were injured, according to DW. The unrest also reached Turin, Bologna and Bergamo, as protests drew attention to stagnant real wages and the difficulty of finding affordable housing in major cities.
Meloni said criminals had exploited the demonstrations to provoke confrontations and “sow chaos.” She added: “Demonstrating is a right, but setting our cities on fire is not.”
Clashes in Milan and Bologna
In Milan, black-clad, masked youths threw fireworks and bottles at police and built barricades in Piazza Duomo, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. Police withdrew at first while waiting for reinforcements, then used tear gas to clear the square.
ANSA reported that about 50 young people were arrested, about half of them minors. The figure comes from ANSA’s reporting cited by DW.
Clashes also broke out in Turin, Bergamo and Bologna. In Bologna, police used water cannon and arrested four people, all minors. Seven people were reported to prosecutors, according to the source report.
The violence sharpened the tension between public safety and the grievances that brought protesters into the streets. Households face expensive fuel and difficulty finding affordable housing, while protesters also demonstrated against low wages. For residents, those pressures are part of the same dispute: the cost of daily life, and whether incomes can keep up.
Officials condemn violence, acknowledge grievances
Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala condemned the attacks while recognizing the reasons for the protest. “The reasons for the protest were understandable. The violence against police and the serious damage to the city, however, cannot be justified,” he said.
In Rome, thousands joined a separate demonstration organized by the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL). Its leader, Maurizio Landini, announced a general strike for November 20.
DW reported that similar demonstrations in France had also descended into rioting, arson and looting, with more than 1,800 people arrested nationwide. The report did not provide further details about those arrests.
Meloni’s remarks came on Sunday, after the clashes on Saturday. She voiced support for officers while distinguishing the right to protest from attacks on police and damage to cities.
Source: dw.com
