Protest in Milan descends into clashes and looting
The centre of Milan was thrown into disorder on Saturday evening after a march against high costs and low wages.
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A protest march in Milan against the high cost of living ended in clashes with police, arson and vandalism on Saturday. Police detained dozens of people, according to European media; the area around the Duomo and an adjoining shopping arcade was evacuated.
The demonstration began, according to The Associated Press, as a march against the rising cost of living. High fuel prices, low wages and pressure on public services were also cited as reasons for the protest. Later, groups broke away from the march and clashes with police erupted in central Milan.
Police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators near Piazza del Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. According to AP, shops were looted and makeshift barricades were set alight. The authorities closed parts of the city centre and several metro stations.
Euronews reported on Sunday that around fifty people had been taken in for questioning. The reports do not make clear how many of them were formally arrested or what they are suspected of. Nor has it been independently established how many demonstrators were involved in the unrest.
The events are part of a broader European wave of protests against the cost of living, but the Italian demonstration is separate from the protests in France previously reported by De Vector. In Milan, the focus was on economic insecurity and the affordability of housing, energy and transport.
The Italian authorities will have to determine which participants are held responsible for violence and damage. At the same time, the underlying grievance — that many residents are seeing their incomes fall behind their costs — remains a political issue. It is not yet clear who organised the march or which political parties, if any, supported it.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- On 17 October 2026, a protest took place in Milan against the high cost of living.
- Clashes with police broke out in the city centre, and shops were damaged or looted.
- According to Euronews, around fifty people were taken in.
Left
Arguments The protests show that high prices, low wages and inadequate public services are causing social tensions. The government should strengthen purchasing power and public services and exercise restraint in its use of police powers.
Values Economic equality, affordability and the right to protest.
Consequences Without social policy, frustration could grow further; harsh repression could damage trust in the government.
Centre
Arguments Violence and looting should be prosecuted, but demonstrators’ economic grievances deserve a separate political response. The government should establish the facts about damage and arrests carefully.
Values The rule of law, proportionality and governmental responsibility.
Consequences A combination of law enforcement and targeted measures to address high costs could limit escalation.
Right
Arguments Anyone who loots shops or attacks police undermines the public interest and should be punished swiftly and visibly. Protest must not become a licence for disorder.
Values Public order, property rights and personal responsibility.
Consequences Stricter enforcement could deter further riots, but could widen the divide with angry groups.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s central claims are confirmed by two public sources. Uncertainties about individual suspects and the final number of arrests are explicitly qualified.
- confirmed A protest against the high cost of living in Milan ended in clashes with police. — Reported by AP and Euronews. source
- confirmed There was vandalism, arson and looting around the Duomo. — Reported by AP and Euronews. source
- confirmed Around fifty people were taken in for questioning. — Euronews refers to dozens of arrests and around fifty people being taken in. source
Editor's note
The clashes, damage and police deployment were reported by AP and Euronews. The precise number of arrests, the motives of individual participants and the eventual charges are not yet fully clear.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „milaan italië”
- RTL Nieuws — „milaan italië”
- NOS — „milaan italië”