Italian police carried out more than 150 searches in Milan and 21 other cities Saturday as investigators examined last weekend’s clashes and organizers prepared protests nationwide.
The operation covered Milan, Monza and 20 additional cities, with most locations in Lombardy, ANSA reported. Authorities were investigating serious incidents that occurred during demonstrations the previous weekend.
ANSA reported that a search decree cited a chat on the phone of one young person under investigation. The decree referred to discussions about attacks on police and plans to coordinate a Saturday march. Legal sources told ANSA that those searched included university and high school students; some were minors, and most reportedly had no previous criminal records.
Rai News reported that lawyer Guido Guella told AGI that searches of two very young female students in Milan were unjustified.
Some businesses in Milan, Bologna, Turin and Florence covered storefronts, while some Milan shops planned early closures, Anadolu Agency reported. Protesters have also raised concerns about living costs and housing, which EconoTimes previously reported were fueling debate over Italy’s “lost generation”.
Movimento 17 ottobre said it would announce where marchers should gather closer to the start of Saturday’s events, Anadolu Agency reported.
