Riots in Milan: Italy wants to deter underage rioters

In Italy, it should now judge the military: In view of the continued riots in Milan on Monday, the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wants to react with a hard hand to violent protests and looting. This also includes sending 500 additional soldiers to Milan to be equipped with new access rights. On Tuesday, the Cabinet wanted to adopt appropriate measures. However, it was initially unclear whether President Sergio Mattarella would accept all measures. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said soldiers should be allowed to act like police forces for three months. This would allow them to intervene in cases of crime, arrest perpetrators in the act, and carry out searches and seizures. “The events in Milan are the result of hybrid warfare using unconventional means like Tiktok,” Crosetto said. The West must defend itself with determination. Sociologists point to integration problems In the course of public security measures ("Strade sicure") soldiers have been in operation in Milan for a while. In March 2024, for example, around 650 military forces were on the road. Now the government wants to set a sign that should deter the often underage rioters. For example, an extension of preventive police detention in connection with demonstrations from 12 hours today to 24 hours is being examined. The police can arrest someone already in the case of a suspected danger of a crime. In addition, this preventive police detention is to be extended to minors. Contact and assembly restrictions also come into focus. A criminal offence of serious damage to property and stricter rules for granting citizenship to foreign minors could also be introduced. Several of the protesters are, of course, second- or third-generation immigrants – which, according to sociologists, shows the great difficulties of integration. Meloni’s right-wing three-party government had worked on such measures in the past, but had been slowed down by President Mattarella. Now the current events and the upcoming election campaign in the election year 2027 provide additional pressure. On Tuesday morning in Milan, there were sit-ins of protesters in front of two schools. Meanwhile, Milan’s mayor Giuseppe Sala, who belongs to the moderate left, called for restraint. “It is not only about repression,” he said with regard to the military operation, but also condemned the violence of the demonstrators. Politicians must also deal with the causes of violence. Quite a few expect new tensions for the coming weekend. Meanwhile, protests in southern Italy by hauliers and farmers continued on Tuesday. They are mainly directed against high fuel prices and general inflation.