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Students and cost-of-living protesters march against Giorgia Meloni's government, the clashes with police in Turin, Milan and Bologna, and the unions' call for a general strike.
Newest first. Updated as news breaks.
Interior and justice undersecretaries from the League propose a financial deposit for demonstrations, with…
In a social media post with video of the Milan clashes, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says protest is a right…
Opposition leaders Elly Schlein (PD) and Giuseppe Conte (M5S) attend the CGIL rally; Conte calls for the…
In Rome, the CGIL union and more than 100 associations march from Piazza della Repubblica to Piazza del…
ANSA, citing a police update, says 36 officers were injured or bruised in Bologna, four people, all minors…
In Bologna, police use a water cannon after clashes near the railway station, Reuters reports citing ANSA.
On Friday, October 16, students marched in dozens of Italian cities on what organisers called "No Meloni Day", protesting run-down schools, a decree capping foreign pupils at 30% of a class, the cost of living and military spending. Organisers say more than 400,000 took part; the Education Ministry puts participation in the school strike at about 1%. Police used water cannon and tear gas in Turin, and bottles and firecrackers were thrown at police in Rome.
On Saturday, October 17, cost-of-living marches called by the "Italia in Piazza" movement were held in several cities. In Milan, groups broke away and clashed with police around Piazza Duomo; Il Giorno, citing police and the prefecture, and ANSA report about 50 people detained; injury figures differ between reports. In Rome, the CGIL union held a separate rally and announced a general strike for November 20.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says the right to protest does not mean turning cities into battlefields. Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara calls the violence political hooliganism. Students and unions say the protests are about schools, wages and prices, with inflation at 4.2% in September according to Istat. Italy holds a general election next year.
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Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
A post condemning the violence in Milan and Bologna, saying demonstrating is a right but turning cities into battlefields is not.
How we checked: Reported by Reuters, ANSA and Il Fatto Quotidiano; ANSA and Il Fatto say it was posted with video of the Milan clashes. Date known.
Sources: Reuters (via The Jerusalem Post) · ANSA · Il Fatto Quotidiano
Confirmed by independent reports from Reuters, ANSA and Il Fatto Quotidiano. How we label
Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani
A post calling the violence and vandalism in Milan, Bologna, Turin and other cities totally unacceptable, criticising part of the opposition and expressing solidarity with the police.
How we checked: Reported by Sky TG24. Text post; date known.
Sources: Sky TG24
Reported: not yet confirmed by a second independent source. How we label
Seen a post we should check? Send the link.
October 12 to 15
Farmers and truck drivers block roads in Puglia, Calabria and Sicily during the week over fuel prices, and students camp out in Milan, Rome and Bologna, AFP reports. Istat puts September inflation at 4.2%, mainly because of fuel prices.
Sources: AFP (via The Local Italy)
Reported: not yet confirmed by a second independent source. How we label
October 16
Students march in dozens of cities on "No Meloni Day", against run-down schools, the school decree, the cost of living and military spending. Schools are occupied in several cities.
Sources: AFP (via The Local Italy) · Il Sole 24 Ore · Avvenire
Confirmed by independent reports from AFP, Il Sole 24 Ore and Avvenire. How we label
Organisers say more than 400,000 young people took part, La Repubblica reports; provisional Education Ministry figures put participation in the school strike at 1.08%, Il Sole 24 Ore reports.
Sources: La Repubblica (via UNN) · Il Sole 24 Ore
Reported: not yet confirmed by a second independent source. How we label
In Turin, protesters throw stones and other objects at police in Piazza Castello, and police respond with water cannon and tear gas.
Sources: Avvenire · Mirror (via AOL) · Il Sole 24 Ore
Confirmed by independent reports from Avvenire, Mirror and Il Sole 24 Ore. How we label
Avvenire reports that 10 officers were injured in Turin, three minors were arrested for resisting a public official and about 50 others were identified and referred to judicial authorities.
Sources: Avvenire
Reported: not yet confirmed by a second independent source. How we label
In Rome, thousands rally outside the Education Ministry; police say bottles, flares and firecrackers are thrown at officers.
Sources: AFP (via The Local Italy) · Il Sole 24 Ore · Mirror (via AOL)
Confirmed by independent reports from AFP, Il Sole 24 Ore and Mirror. How we label
In Verona, police identify 21 young people and report them over criminal damage and other offences; Il Sole 24 Ore says 20 of them are under 18. Clashes are also reported in Bologna.
Sources: Il Sole 24 Ore · Avvenire
Confirmed by independent reports from Il Sole 24 Ore and Avvenire. How we label
Meloni says she welcomes mobilisation but condemns the violence and attacks on police, and calls on all parties to back peaceful protest. Education Minister Valditara calls the violence political hooliganism, not democratic dissent.
Sources: Avvenire · Il Sole 24 Ore · La Repubblica (via UNN)
Confirmed by independent reports from Avvenire, Il Sole 24 Ore and La Repubblica. How we label
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi says police acted decisively, professionally and prudently on a difficult day, La Repubblica reports. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini calls students who threw stones criminals, Il Sole 24 Ore reports.
Sources: La Repubblica (via UNN) · Il Sole 24 Ore
Reported: not yet confirmed by a second independent source. How we label
October 17
Cost-of-living marches called by the "Italia in Piazza" movement, which began on social media, are held in several cities, including Milan and Bologna; Open also lists Turin, Florence, Rome, Naples and Genoa.
Sources: Open · Sky TG24 · Reuters (via The Jerusalem Post)
Confirmed by independent reports from Open, Sky TG24 and Reuters. How we label
In Milan, groups break away from the march and clash with police around Piazza Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Police use tear gas and a water cannon after stones and other objects are thrown; shops close and the Duomo metro station is shut.
Sources: Reuters (via The Jerusalem Post) · Sky TG24 · Il Giorno · Open
Confirmed by independent reports from Reuters, Sky TG24, Il Giorno and Open. How we label
About 50 people are detained in Milan, almost half of them minors, according to a preliminary police and prefecture report cited by Il Giorno and to sources cited by ANSA.
Confirmed by independent reports from Il Giorno and ANSA. How we label
Injury figures for Milan differ: Il Giorno, citing the preliminary report, says 15 members of the security forces were injured, while ANSA reports at least four officers and 20 protesters injured. Sky TG24 reports five young people taken to hospital with injuries first described as minor.
Sources: Il Giorno · ANSA · Sky TG24
Disputed: the accounts conflict. Both are given, with their sources. How we label
In Bologna, police use a water cannon after clashes near the railway station, Reuters reports citing ANSA.
Sources: Reuters (via The Jerusalem Post)
Reported: not yet confirmed by a second independent source. How we label
ANSA, citing a police update, says 36 officers were injured or bruised in Bologna, four people, all minors, were arrested for resisting officers and seven were reported to judicial authorities.
Sources: ANSA
Reported: not yet confirmed by a second independent source. How we label
In Rome, the CGIL union and more than 100 associations march from Piazza della Repubblica to Piazza del Popolo. CGIL leader Maurizio Landini announces a general strike for November 20 and says more than 100,000 people took part; no independent count has been published.
Confirmed by independent reports from Sky TG24 and Open. How we label
Opposition leaders Elly Schlein (PD) and Giuseppe Conte (M5S) attend the CGIL rally; Conte calls for the government to step down, Sky TG24 reports.
Sources: Sky TG24
Reported: not yet confirmed by a second independent source. How we label
In a social media post with video of the Milan clashes, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says protest is a right but setting cities ablaze is not, and asks the opposition to condemn the violence without ambiguity: "every reticence becomes justification". Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala says the protesters' reasons are understandable but the violence is unjustifiable, and warns against political exploitation.
Sources: ANSA · Il Fatto Quotidiano · Open
Confirmed by independent reports from ANSA, Il Fatto Quotidiano and Open. How we label
Interior and justice undersecretaries from the League propose a financial deposit for demonstrations, with organisers held responsible for damage, and say an amendment is ready, Il Fatto Quotidiano reports.
Sources: Il Fatto Quotidiano
Reported: not yet confirmed by a second independent source. How we label
From October 18
General strike called by the CGIL for November 20. Further protests, final arrest and injury figures for October 16 and 17, and any government response to the protesters' demands are still being checked.
Checking: expected or unresolved. We will update this when the outcome is known. How we label
No entries with this label.
Both sides, with sources.
One account
The government condemns the violence. Meloni says she welcomes peaceful mobilisation; Valditara calls the violence political hooliganism with nothing to do with students' rights, and Tajani accuses part of the opposition of fuelling the unrest.
Sources: Avvenire · Il Sole 24 Ore · Sky TG24
Other account
Students and unions say the protests are about crumbling schools, the school decree, low wages, rising prices and military spending. The CGIL says Italy is in a dramatic economic and social crisis.
Sources: Il Sole 24 Ore · Avvenire · AFP (via The Local Italy)
Status: Open. Both positions are on record.
Other account
Provisional Education Ministry figures put participation in the school strike at 1.08%.
Sources: Il Sole 24 Ore
Status: The two figures measure different things (marchers and striking school staff and students), and no independent count of marchers has been published.
Arrests, bans, investigations and court cases.
| Date | Action | By | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16 | Three minors arrested for resisting a public official; about 50 others identified and referred to judicial authorities in Turin | Police (figures via Avvenire) | Reported |
| Oct 16 | 21 young people identified and reported in Verona | Police | Confirmed |
| Oct 16 | One person detained and 30 reported after an attempt to occupy a school in Alessandria | Police (figures via Avvenire) | Reported |
| Oct 16 | Video footage reviewed to identify those involved in violence in Rome | Rome police | Reported |
| Oct 17 | About 50 people detained in Milan, almost half of them minors (preliminary figure) | Police and prefecture (figure via Il Giorno); also reported by ANSA | Confirmed |
| Oct 17 | Four minors arrested for resisting officers and seven people reported in Bologna | Police (figures via ANSA) | Reported |
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