Chaos and looting roiled major cities as Europeans poured into the streets to protest rising living costs
Cost-of-living protests swept Europe over the weekend, with demonstrators taking to the streets from Lisbon and Brussels to Milan.
Protests erupted across major European cities this weekend as citizens expressed frustration over the rising cost of living. Demonstrations turned violent in several capitals including Paris, Brussels, Milan, and Lisbon. The underlying cause of the unrest is attributed to energy price hikes resulting from geopolitical conflicts.
In Portugal, thousands of workers joined the protest demanding higher wages, citing unaffordable housing and low salaries. The capital Lisbon saw demonstrations in multiple locations, with police using water cannons and tear gas against demonstrators. In Belgium, students staged protests over rising education costs, which escalated into clashes with police.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence, stating that while demonstrating is a right, destroying cities is not. The unrest also spread to other Italian cities like Turin, Bologna, Brescia, and Bergamo, with tens of thousands participating in some demonstrations.
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