Italian government to send 500 soldiers to "defend" Milan as luxury brands remove goods from windows

The Italian government announced plans to deploy an additional 500 soldiers to Milan after two days of unrest in which demonstrators clashed with police, looted shops and damaged property, the deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini said.

Authorities expect the troop deployment to form part of a wider security package due for approval at the cabinet meeting convened for today. Shops in Milan’s centre began closing earlier than usual amid fears of fresh violence, and several luxury brands reportedly removed high-value items from their shop windows.

"From words to deeds: another 500 soldiers to defend Milan," Salvini wrote on social media.

Violence and arrests

Hundreds of hooded demonstrators — many believed to be minors — set fire to rubbish containers and carried out looting in the city centre over the weekend. The unrest followed a protest on Saturday that had begun peacefully, when participants sought to draw attention to poor public services and rising living costs.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence and held a meeting with ministers and security chiefs to discuss the situation as she faces national elections next year. "The government will respond decisively to these attacks on the state, including measures aimed at suppressing juvenile violence," wrote Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on X; Tajani, like Salvini, is also a deputy prime minister.

Police said 271 young people were detained in Milan during Sunday’s disturbances. The weekend’s unrest was preceded by clashes in other northern cities including Bologna, Brescia, Bergamo and Turin, where police reported 28 arrests.

Officials are reportedly considering measures such as extending preventive detention for minors and reintroducing elements of an existing security law that is currently under parliamentary consideration.

Photo: press material from the event