Italy Deploys Hundreds of Soldiers to Milan Ahead of Protests
Italy sent 500 more soldiers to Milan as the city prepared for fresh protests. The deployment comes one week after looting and clashes with police.
2 to 5 years in prison for violent participation in demonstrations.
€500 to €1,000 fines for parents of violent minors, doubled for repeats.
4 to 12 years for organizing violent demonstrations, including online.
14-year-olds and older are now presumed capable of understanding their acts.
Why it matters: Officials say young people drove the unrest, and the decree shifts legal and financial responsibility toward teens and their parents. Police and military officials question whether soldiers can fill the gap.
Police said 34 of 45 people arrested over two days were minors.
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said soldiers lack pepper spray, tasers and other public-order tools.
Left coverage, 3 sources: The left frames Milan as one stop in a wave of European protests and notes a local official's view that excluded youth need understanding.
What’s next: About 5,000 police and law enforcement personnel will work Milan's streets Saturday. Drone surveillance and railway checks will extend beyond the city center.
The troop deployment runs through Dec. 31 at a cost of €4.7 million.
Who, if anyone, organized the Milan riots? Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said no organizer has been identified.
Will the presumption of capacity for 14-year-olds hold up as the decree moves forward?
Can soldiers without arrest powers meaningfully reinforce police at protests?
