Italian police clash with protesters in Milan and Bologna
In Milan, police in riot gear also tried to clear hooded protesters from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the luxury shopping arcade on one side of the cathedral square, as groups broke away from the cost-of-living protest.
Protests over the cost of living erupted in Milan and Bologna, Italy, leading to clashes between police and protesters. In Milan, riot police in Milan attempted to disperse hooded demonstrators from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a renowned shopping arcade on the cathedral square, as groups split off from the protest. The police fired tear gas at the protesters after being attacked with stones.
Similar clashes occurred in Bologna, where police utilized a water cannon to disperse the crowds, resulting in seven arrests, according to ANSA news agency. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, anticipating an upcoming election, denounced the violence, stating that demonstrating is a right, but turning cities into battlegrounds is not.
In Milan, shops closed their doors and tourists fled the central area as the cathedral metro station was shut down due to the chaos. The protests mirrored the unrest seen in France, where thousands of citizens protested against rising costs and declining public services, marking some of the country's most violent demonstrations in recent years.
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