Italy introduces tougher penalties after riots in Milan
Meloni government adopts decree creating new offences, compensation claims and 500 additional troops.
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The Italian government adopted tougher security measures on Tuesday following unrest in Milan. The decree makes violent participation in demonstrations a separate offence and expands measures targeting minor suspects.
The new decree introduces an offence of violent participation in a demonstration. Anyone who, as part of a group of at least five people, endangers public safety with stones, fireworks or sticks could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to €20,000, according to the government. Higher penalties apply when someone covers their face or injures others.
The decree also contains provisions on compensation claims. Parents may be held financially liable for damage caused by their minor children. Exactly how compensation claims relating to public and private property will be regulated is not yet clear. The precise application will emerge from further implementation and case law.
The government is also expanding the scope for pre-emptively detaining minors aged 14 to 18 when they are considered dangerous. In addition, for this age group there is a presumption that they were able to understand their actions, unless the contrary is demonstrated. According to ANSA, organising violent groups online will also become a separate offence, carrying penalties of up to 12 years; that element has not been described in equal detail in all public reporting.
For Milan, 500 additional troops will be deployed until the end of the year as part of the existing Strade Sicure operation. According to ANSA, the proposed additional police duties were removed from the final package after objections from the office of President Sergio Mattarella. The troops therefore do not automatically receive the same powers as the police.
The unrest followed two days of protests over rising costs and inadequate public services. According to the Italian police, more than 270 people were detained, around 80 per cent of them minors. AP also reported that more than 100 officers were injured; reporting on the figures and the precise criminal-law consequences comes from Italian authorities and has not been independently verified.
The decree takes effect immediately, but must be converted into law by parliament within 60 days. Parliamentary debates, legal proceedings and possible amendments could therefore still affect the final rules. The measure is relevant to the Netherlands because Italy is an important EU country and because debates over the right to demonstrate, juvenile criminal law and the deployment of troops in European cities are also taking place elsewhere.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Italy’s Council of Ministers adopted a security and juvenile criminal-law decree on 20 October following riots in Milan and other cities.
- The decree contains a new offence of violent participation in demonstrations, measures for compensation claims and additional troop deployments in Milan.
- The decree must be converted into law by parliament within 60 days.
- According to public reporting, the additional police duties for troops were removed from the final package.
Left
Arguments The emphasis is on the right to demonstrate and on possible social causes of the unrest, such as high costs and inadequate public services. From this perspective, broad new criminal provisions and pre-emptive measures against minors could discourage peaceful protest and disproportionately affect young people.
Values Civil rights, social equality, proportionality and access to public services.
Consequences A hard-line approach could further undermine trust in the government and leave the underlying problems unresolved. Expanding pre-emptive powers could also lead to legal proceedings and selective enforcement.
Centre
Arguments The government must tackle violence, looting and damage, but new powers should be precisely defined and subject to oversight by judges and parliament. Additional capacity for the police and youth probation services may be more targeted than a general increase in penalties.
Values Public order, the rule of law, practicability and proportionality.
Consequences A limited package could improve safety without unnecessarily restricting the right to demonstrate. Unclear rules or insufficient capacity could instead lead to arbitrary decisions and overburden the judiciary.
Right
Arguments The state must act visibly and swiftly when demonstrators loot shops, attack officers and make public spaces unsafe. Higher penalties, parental liability and additional troops should make clear that violence and destruction cannot be excused as political protest.
Values Security, responsibility, property rights and the authority of the state.
Consequences A robust response could deter repetition and protect businesses and residents. Critics within this camp may nevertheless fear that half-hearted implementation or exceptions would weaken the state’s authority.
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 points are confirmed by AP, ANSA and Euronews, all of which reported on the new decree on 20 October. Details about the precise legal application and provisional measures remain dependent on the final text and parliamentary treatment.
- confirmed The Italian government adopted a security and juvenile criminal-law decree on 20 October. — ANSA and Euronews report its approval by the Council of Ministers on 20 October 2026. source
- confirmed Violent participation in a demonstration can result in up to five years in prison and a €20,000 fine. — This is reported by ANSA and AP. source
- confirmed Five hundred additional troops will be deployed in Milan until the end of the year. — AP, ANSA and Euronews report the additional deployment. source
- confirmed Parents may be held liable for damage caused by their minor children. — ANSA and AP describe the compensation claims against parents. source
- confirmed The additional police duties for troops were removed from the final package after objections from President Mattarella’s office. — ANSA and Euronews report that these powers were scrapped. source
- confirmed The decree must be converted into law by parliament within 60 days. — AP mentions the constitutional deadline for converting decrees into law. source
- confirmed More than 270 people were detained and around 80 per cent were minors. — ANSA attributes this to reporting on the unrest; it is a figure provided by the authorities. source
Editor's note
It is certain that Italy’s Council of Ministers adopted a security and juvenile criminal-law decree on 20 October, including a new offence, compensation claims, additional troops and measures concerning minors. The precise legal text and the final parliamentary treatment may still change; some elements, particularly those relating to pre-emptive detention and online organisation, have been summarised differently in public sources.Sources
- Italy to deploy 500 troops in Milan after protests — Associated Press
- Govt approves new security and youth crime decree after riots — ANSA
- Un altro decreto sicurezza del Governo Meloni — Euronews Italia
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „italië milaan”
- Trouw — „italië milaan”
- NRC — „italië milaan”