Violent Clashes Erupt at Milan Duomo After Cost of Living Protest

Youths and police clashed for a second day in Milan on Sunday as mostly black-clad assailants hurled bottles, ransacked stores and destroyed property around the central Duomo plaza, leaving more than 200 people arrested since Saturday.

The disturbances began on Saturday on the sidelines of a sanctioned cost-of-living demonstration and spread into surrounding shopping streets, where a supermarket was ransacked, rubbish bins were overturned and scooters and bicycles were vandalised.

On Sunday police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse groups in the Milan square, with video images showing young people, many wearing masks, throwing objects at police cars.

Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said he had witnessed smashed shop windows, looted stores and frightened citizens and expressed concern that the phenomenon had international origins and was self-feeding.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for a security meeting on Monday to address the violence and on Saturday described the vandals as thugs who exploit demonstrations to spread chaos, attack those who guarantee security and hold entire cities hostage, while asserting that demonstrating is a right but laying cities to waste is not.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The clashes in Milan underscore a rapid escalation from a sanctioned cost-of-living demonstration to violent street disorder, culminating in extensive property damage and mass arrests over two days. The pattern of action, including targeted looting and attacks on police vehicles, suggests confrontations moved beyond the original protest context into broader public disorder. Political leaders responded by framing the unrest as exploitation of demonstrations, prompting an imminent government security response.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• Youths and police clashed for a second day in Milan around the Duomo plaza.
• More than 200 people were arrested since Saturday according to reporting.
• Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse groups on Sunday.
• A supermarket was ransacked and street property including scooters and bicycles was vandalised.
• Mayor Giuseppe Sala reported smashed shop windows, looted stores and frightened citizens.
• Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for a security meeting and denounced the vandals.