Clashes in Milan: 4 adults remain in jail, 1 placed under house arrest

(ANSA) - ROME, 20 OTT - Milan preliminary investigations judge (GIP) Fabrizio Filice has ordered that four young men—arrested last Saturday during unrest in Milan's city center—remain in jail, while a fifth individual has been placed under house arrest with an electronic monitoring bracelet. The five adults are accused, in various capacities, of devastation and looting, as well as aggravated resisting of a public official. They are the first five of the 270 young people arrested Saturday and Sunday for rioting and property damage, of whom 80% are minors. The GIP warned of a very high risk of recurrence of the violence. The risk "that this could happen again in the short term is extremely high—as evidenced by the fact that the day after the events, Sunday, October 18, a similar situation arose, and in the days that followed, new calls to action began circulating on social media." These calls originated from the accounts 'Italia in piazza' (Italy in the Square) and 'Movimento 17 ottobre' (October 17 Movement)—both of which are currently under investigation—and appear aimed at maintaining "a distinctly violent and insurrectional character." Filice also said that a plan to destabilize public order was underway. "It is clear, from the ongoing social media campaign calling for further protests over the coming weekends, that a deliberate plan to destabilize public order is in motion. This plan relies on the spontaneous participation of many young people who, once caught up in this collective release of anger and violence, lose all control over their impulses and, in turn, become violent, antisocial actors themselves." (ANSA).
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