The Italian Army said 500 soldiers from the Folgore Paratroopers Brigade began reinforcing Milan on Saturday ahead of demonstrations, a week after a march ended in clashes and looting.
The soldiers will staff fixed posts and patrol the historic center and other sensitive locations, with protected vehicles also in use. A smaller contingent will cover selected railway stations. The deployment expands the existing Strade Sicure operation, the Army said.
The move puts into effect the Cabinet's Oct. 20 security package. The decree authorizing the additional personnel was published Oct. 22, took effect Oct. 23 and permits the increase through Dec. 31, 2026.
The decree also defines a protest-related offense. It applies during demonstrations in a public or publicly accessible place when someone participating in a group of at least five people that operates in an organized manner, even occasionally, unlawfully uses or throws specified objects or pyrotechnics, creating a concrete danger to people and causing property damage. The offense carries two to five years in prison and a fine of €10,000 to €20,000.
The Associated Press reported that luxury stores and other businesses had covered their windows ahead of the demonstrations. Authorities had also added aerial surveillance, checks at rail stations and teams ready to respond quickly, AP reported.
The deployment follows a Milan rally on Oct. 17 opposing war and rising living costs. AP and Euronews reported that the gathering later escalated into clashes with police, fires and shop looting. Euronews said wider demonstrations in Italy also raised issues including housing, wages, education and military spending.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on social media after the unrest: “Demonstrating is a right. Setting our cities ablaze is not.” AFP, in a report published by The Local, said Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala urged shops to stay open and noted the city had no plan to shut down. The report attributed to Sala the remark, “If panic spreads then everything stops,” and said he made it Friday. The troop authorization runs through Dec. 31, 2026.
