Anger over rising prices and deteriorating public services is spilling into violent protests across Europe. After a series of looting incidents and clashes with police in France, demonstrations in Milan have escalated into rioting, prompting Italian authorities to deploy elite paratroopers. In Germany, a large youth rally has been announced.
Italian authorities plan to station about 500 troops from the army's elite Folgore paratrooper brigade in Milan, the Italian news agency ANSA reported on Oct. 21. Specialists in drone operations may also be included in the deployment. The troops are expected to be on the ground within days and to carry out security duties through the end of the year.
Authorities initially considered granting the paratroopers judicial police powers but withdrew the plan after President Sergio Mattarella raised objections. As a result, the troops will be limited to maintaining public order rather than conducting criminal investigations or judicial police work. The measure is based on the existing "Strade Sicure," or Safe Streets, program, which assigns military personnel to security operations in major cities. The prefect of Milan will consult with the police commissioner on deploying the troops for patrols and surveillance of key facilities.
Price Anger Turns Into Rioting as Milan's Luxury District Braces
Protests in Milan against rising prices and worsening public services turned violent over the weekend. Demonstrators said rising living costs were pushing households into poverty. But the protests deteriorated into rioting as some young people smashed shop windows, looted goods and attacked police.
Clashes between protesters and police continued across the city center, and police fired tear gas to disperse crowds. Demonstrators fought back by spraying fire extinguishers and setting off fireworks. Some reports described confrontations around Duomo Square as resembling urban combat. Protesters and police also clashed in other cities, including Turin and Bologna.
With concerns growing over further unrest, Milan shops have taken precautions. Stores in the city center closed early or installed coverings over display windows. On Via Montenapoleone, lined with luxury boutiques including Chanel and Tiffany, many stores removed merchandise from their display windows, while clothing retailers such as Levi's and Under Armour boarded up their windows.
The Italian government has also toughened penalties for violent protests. A new anti-riot law that took effect on Oct. 20 includes fines of up to 20,000 euros (about 30 million won) for those taking part in violent demonstrations and allows parents to be held liable for financial damage caused by minors.
France Weighs Curfews While Germany Watches Halloween Rallies
In France, protests had earlier led to looting and property damage, prompting a hard-line response from authorities. Large demonstrations were held across the country on Oct. 17, with some masked groups attacking shops. In Paris, shop windows were smashed one after another around Place de la Madeleine, Place de la Republique and the Grands Boulevards. According to Le Monde, stores including Kenzo, Salomon and Arc'teryx were attacked, and a Celine store on Avenue Montaigne was looted.
The protests began with demands to improve poor conditions in schools but widened to grievances over high prices, underinvestment in public services, and wage and pension issues. The French Interior Ministry counted about 550,000 protesters nationwide, while organizers claimed the figure reached 800,000. Authorities are pushing for overnight curfews and bans on gatherings in some areas, and have not ruled out declaring a state of emergency if the situation worsens.
According to Interior Ministry figures, about 2,400 people have been arrested and some 1,000 police and other security personnel have been injured. A French retail industry group estimated that about 3,000 stores nationwide suffered looting and property damage, with losses running into the hundreds of millions of euros. Tensions persist as the Yellow Vest movement has announced additional rallies and major labor unions are planning strikes and demonstrations next month.
Tensions are also mounting in Germany over youth protests. A movement calling itself "Gen Z Rises Up" has announced plans for large rallies across Germany on Oct. 31, according to local media including Der Tagesspiegel. Education, living costs, youth unemployment and opposition to military conscription are among the main issues. Organizers say they will distance themselves from violence, but posts calling for solidarity with French youth protests and urging resistance are spreading on social media.
President Donald Trump pointed to the unrest in France, saying it was not about schools but about immigration. He claimed he had personally warned President Emmanuel Macron, saying Paris would soon become a Muslim city and that France should close its borders.