Italy: 270+ Rioters Detained After Day Two of ‘Guerrilla War’ Chaos in Milan
Over 270 rioters were detained by Italian law enforcement officials Monday after the second day of “guerrilla war” unrest at the historic city of Milan, local outlets reported.
Per Italian outlets, 80 percent of the detainees taken to police headquarters on Sunday are minors, and at least 60 are migrants. Several of the individuals now reportedly face formal charges, with the majority of the detainees still under preventive custody as of Monday morning.
Sunday marked the second consecutive day of violent riots in Milan after they initially broke out on Saturday, with thousands of protesters taking part in violent actions mimicking the extremely chaotic events that unfolded in neighboring France over the weekend.
Italian outlets detailed that while Saturday’s riots were mainly centered around Piazza del Duomo, located right outside Milan’s historic Cathedral, Sunday’s violent protests spread beyond the vicinities of the church and into the nearby Piazza Castello square and via Torino street.
The protesters, reportedly estimated at about 2,000 individuals, destroyed outdoor seating areas, tables, and vandalized several stores in their wake before moving onto other areas of the city. A supermarket in via Torino was looted by the protesters.
Per the public broadcaster Rai, Italian police officers responded with riot police units, water cannons, and armored vehicles, bringing the situation “under control” by late afternoon.
At press time, 28 of the detainees — 15 migrants and 23 minors — now reportedly face unspecified charges. Additionally, Milan prosecutors are seeking pre-trial detention for at least five young adults between the ages of 18 and 20, charging them with various counts of aggravated resistance to arrest, vandalism, and looting.
At least 14 law enforcement officials were injured during Sunday’s riots. Speaking with Rai’s TG1, Angelo De Simone, one of the injured Milan police officers, detailed that he was hit in the head with a stone hurled by one of the protesters but nevertheless kept coordinating law enforcement operations despite his injury. The official stressed that he had “never seen violence like this.”
According to Rai, De Simeone received four stitches on his head injury, and went back to work Monday.
The rioters, however, are reportedly threatened to repeat the violent acts “every Saturday afternoon” against the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The Italian news service ANSA detailed on Monday morning that the “October 17 Movement,” whose name appears to be a reference to Saturday’s violent events, are calling for a “permanent mobilization” every Saturday afternoon “until this thief government falls.”
According to Italian outlets, the group is calling for weekly Saturday protests not just in Milan, but also in Rome, Turin, Florence, and other Italian cities.
Meloni has reportedly called for an urgent security meeting in Rome that will take place on Monday noon (local time) to assess new security measures in the wake of the recent riots. According to Il Fatto Quotidiano, one of the measures being considered is Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini’s “Safe Streets” program, which calls for an increased police and military presence in the streets.
Additionally, the Meloni government is reportedly considering a decree that allows for the detention of minors and an increased armed forces deployment in Milan.
Per Tgcom24, Salvini is calling on measures that allow for the automatic prosecution of persons who assault a public official with up to five years prison time, and the imposition of an up to 15,000 euro fine for the offenders.
The Deputy Prime Minister is also calling for a ban on gatherings to those responsible for group violence and the introduction of “group vandalism” as a criminal offense.
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