Meloni chairing security meeting after youth riots in Milan

(ANSA) - ROME, 19 OTT - Premier Giorgia Meloni is holding a meeting with top security officials on Monday after two days of rioting in Milan by youths, many hooded and dressed in black, caused damage estimated to be in excess of half a billion euros. The trouble began on Saturday on the sidelines of a demonstration over the cost-of-living crisis and continued on Sunday, with groups of youths swarming around shops and supermarkets, smashing windows and going on ransacking-and-looting rampages before quickly dispersing. They also clashed with police, hurling stones, bottles and flares at them. Over 200 people were detained and 80% of them were minors. The rioting, which resembled the violence that has been taking place in France, followed anti-government protests by high-school students in Italy on Friday that turned ugly in several cities. Meloni has promised that her government will adopt "new tools" to stop people "who sow chaos". Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini's League is calling for 'preventative detention' measures making it possible for known troublemakers to be held ahead of potentially problematic events to be extended to minors. The rioting has also triggered political tension. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi accused Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala of being a "radical chic" lefty after the city's first citizen said not enough police had been deployed to prevent the scenes of chaos. The parties of the ruling coalition have also accused the opposition of not being resolute enough in condemning the violence. Democratic Party (PD) leader Elly Schlein hit back, saying her centre-left group has always condemned violence and arguing the government should not use the rioting to "to drown out the voices of thousands of people who are protesting peacefully all across Italy because they can no longer make a living". (ANSA).
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