Milan:Police were deployed in large numbers across Italy as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in several cities on Saturday. The protests, which spanned Milan, Bologna, Turin, and Rome, occurred in the wake of last weekend's riots.
According to Ghana News Agency, the demonstrations focused on various issues such as high living costs, petrol prices, and re-armament, with some protests resulting in sporadic clashes between police and demonstrators.
In Milan, a city that experienced significant riots the previous weekend, tensions resurfaced as demonstrators clashed with security forces. Police intervened by halting the march and using truncheons, leading many luxury shops to barricade in anticipation of unrest. Bologna saw the use of tear gas and water cannons by police to prevent protesters from reaching the railway station.
In Turin, authorities used shields to push back demonstrators. Meanwhile, Rome hosted a pro-Palestinian demonstration in its historic center. Additional gatherings were reported in Naples and Florence.
The previous weekend's riots in Milan began as peaceful protests against high living costs but escalated into violence. Young individuals, mostly masked and dressed in black, vandalized and looted shops in the Piazza del Duomo and its vicinity.
To prevent further riots, stringent security measures have been implemented. In addition to the police presence, 500 elite soldiers have been deployed to Milan. Surveillance efforts have been heightened with drones flying over the city center, checks at railway stations, mobile patrols, and close monitoring of online activities to identify and prevent potential new calls for protests and riots.