Milan ‘Hooligans’ Condemned As Protests Surround Historic Cathedral

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has condemned what she called “hooligans” who exploited demonstrations in Milan to sow chaos, after clashes erupted in the historic city centre.

“Demonstrating is a right. Setting our cities ablaze is not,” Meloni wrote on social media, condemning attacks on police and damage to the city.

Her remarks came after a march against wars and rising living costs escalated on Saturday, with masked demonstrators throwing objects at officers and setting fires.

The unrest centered on Piazza del Duomo, the square in front of Milan’s famous Gothic cathedral, and the neighboring Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an ornate shopping arcade known for its luxury boutiques.

Milan’s center-left mayor Giuseppe Sala said the protesters’ grievances were understandable but that violence against law enforcement and damage to the city were unjustifiable.

This is a developing story and will be updated.