Meloni Orders 500 Soldiers to Milan as Protest Movement Resurfaces

Italian markets and public spaces prepare for renewed unrest after a week of volatile demonstrations in Milan. A newly formed group, the October 17 Movement, has called for protests in eight cities on Saturday to challenge Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government and address rising living costs.

The government responded to last weekend's clashes and looting by deploying 500 soldiers to Milan. Police conducted raids in several cities on Friday and executed an additional 150 searches in Lombardy on Saturday morning. These operations targeted individuals suspected of participating in the previous day's disorder, according to reports from Adnkronos.

Organizers of the new demonstrations are keeping specific locations secret until Saturday afternoon to manage the crowd. They aim for a peaceful turnout despite the recent violence. A participant identified as E told Al Jazeera on Thursday that the group must remain calm to avoid giving police a reason to charge. Another member, identified as Q, argued that the government does not distinguish between violent and peaceful protesters, stating, "It's just us."

Police are currently questioning the administrator of the movement's Instagram page. The Corriere della Sera identified the individual as a 30-year-old Italian-Moroccan freelance journalist and researcher. He faces an investigation on suspicion of inciting crimes. The public prosecutor has cited social media as a factor in driving young people toward what he called insurrectional acts.

Data from last Sunday's arrests reveals a young demographic among the detained. Of the 271 people taken into custody, 220 were under the age of 18. Lawyer Michele D'Agostino, who is defending two demonstrators aged 21 and 15, said the teenager did not understand the full context of the protest. D'Agostino noted that the client had seen the event on TikTok and joined a friend without grasping the severity of the situation.

Justice Minister Carlo Nordio addressed the surge in arrests of minors on Sky TG24. He stated that Italy must expand the capacity of its youth detention facilities to handle such numbers. Meanwhile, the government is managing pressure from the transport sector, as truck drivers blocked roads in southern Italy earlier this week over fuel prices. The administration granted tax breaks and created a special fund for farmers and fishermen on Thursday to mitigate the impact.

The October 17 Movement, which includes student federations and antiwar coalitions, posted on Instagram that the government is authoritarian. They argued that those denying their future are truly violent. This digital coordination has become a central tool for organizing dissent in the lead-up to Saturday's events.