Milan, one of the host cities for the Winter Olympic Games, witnessed violent confrontations between police and protesters on the competition’s opening day, resulting in six arrests. Thousands descended upon the northern Italian city on Saturday to demonstrate against various issues, primarily the soaring cost of living. The protest escalated as some individuals launched flares and hurled stones at law enforcement, who retaliated with water cannons.
This unrest follows the Italian government’s swift implementation of stricter protest regulations. These measures were fast-tracked in response to a demonstration in Turin the previous weekend, which government figures indicate left over 100 police officers injured. In that incident, an officer was reportedly assaulted with a hammer—an act Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned as attempted murder.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini denounced the Milan participants as ‘criminals,’ stating, ‘Just days after the shameful violence in Turin, more clashes, more attacks on law enforcement.’ He expressed pride in a new security package designed to enable ‘more effective interventions against thugs and criminals.’ This new legislation, enacted Thursday, permits police to detain individuals suspected of inciting unrest for up to 12 hours prior to scheduled demonstrations. While authorities hail it as necessary, critics have labeled the measure repressive.
Simultaneously, officials are investigating acts of suspected sabotage on northern Italy’s critical railway network, which caused extensive delays. Services between Bologna and Venice were disrupted by a fire targeting rail infrastructure. Police discovered severed cables and a rudimentary explosive device near tracks. Bologna’s central station, a major national transport hub, was particularly affected. RFI, the national rail operator, confirmed services have since normalized. The Transport Ministry described these coordinated acts as ‘suspected sabotage,’ drawing parallels to vandalism encountered during the onset of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Despite the violence, the majority of protesters in Milan marched peacefully. Participants voiced objections to the Olympics themselves, with one protestor, Francesca Missana, telling AFP the Games were ‘no longer sustainable from an environmental or a social point of view.’ Organizer Alberto di Monte criticized the financial model, arguing that billions were spent on infrastructure like roads instead of mountain conservation, contradicting promises of a ‘sustainable and cost-neutral’ event.
The Winter Olympics continue until February 22nd across multiple venues, including Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, and several Alpine resorts.