Protests over rising living costs and public services escalated in Italy on Sunday, with police clashing with demonstrators in Milan for a second consecutive day. Shops were damaged and rubbish bins were set on fire near the city centre.
Several hundred masked protesters smashed shop windows around Piazza del Duomo, according to sources familiar with the investigation cited by Reuters. Riot police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds. More than 60 people were taken to a police station for further checks, the sources said.
Clashes had also erupted on Saturday in northern Italian cities including Milan, Bologna, Brescia, Bergamo and Turin. A police report said 28 people were arrested in connection with those incidents.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence and announced a government meeting for Monday to discuss the situation. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said the reasons behind the protests were understandable, but violence against law enforcement and serious damage to the city were not justified.
The unrest in Italy coincides with large demonstrations in France over the cost of living and public services, where some rallies also descended into clashes and property damage.
