Thousands protest in Italy under heavy security

World Student groups have been highly critical of the government's public order response and have urged it to address protest demands such as cuts to military spending in favour of education. A woman holds an Italian flag in front of police and Finance Police in riot gear, as people attend a spontaneous demonstration against the rising cost of living, a week after protests ended in clashes and looting in northern cities, in Milan, Italy Oct 24, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Yara Nardi) ROME: Security forces deployed massively in Italy on Saturday (Oct 24) for protests in which thousands rallied despite a sweeping crackdown in the wake of violent clashes last weekend.Police said they arrested nine people and briefly detained 371 more, including 110 minors, who were taken to police stations in eight cities as clashes broke out at some protests.Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's hard-right government approved tough security measures this week and police had carried out dozens of searches and arrests in advance of the rallies."Marching is a right. We need to make our voices heard," Alessio Scimone, a 24-year-old betting shop worker, one of the protesters in Milan, told AFP. Several thousand people marched through Milan, bringing traffic in the centre to a standstill.A similar number rallied in Rome, where some protesters briefly broke into the Colosseum.Police "managed to isolate and contain the violent fringes, with balance and professionalism," Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi was quoted by Italian news agency ANSA as saying."In Italy there can be no room for those who delude themselves that they can act with impunity," he said. 'We are not scared'In Milan, some stores closed early and others boarded their windows following outbreaks of looting in the fashion hub last weekend.Others remained defiantly open after a call by the city's mayor Giuseppe Sala not to "panic"."We want to give the message that we are not scared by these kids," said Alessandro Buhne, 30, who works at the Philipp Plein menswear shop."Tourists are scared of this situation so we want to give the signal that you are safe if you enter our store," he said.Stefania Segalina, 55, a volunteer street fundraiser for the charity MSF, said she was relieved clashes had not broken out."We were a bit worried but we didn't stop and came out to fundraise as planned," she said."We noted a big police presence," she said. "It means you don't feel alone, in case something happens". Police and Carabinieri officers line up outside the Colosseum as people join spontaneous demonstrations against the rising cost of living and blocked by police, a week after protests ended in clashes and looting in northern cities, in Rome, Oct 24, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Vincenzo Livieri) After the clashes in Milan last weekend, the government deployed 500 soldiers to the city and approved a decree easing detention rules for minors and imposing fines on their parents for any damage done by them during demonstrations.Police on Saturday also said they had arrested a 30-year-old man suspected of being the figure behind the "October 17 Movement", a group which had called for the protests.Student groups have been highly critical of the government's public order response and have urged it to address protest demands such as cuts to military spending in favour of education.The demonstrations are part of a wave of protests by students, truck drivers and farmers over cost of living issues like housing and fuel prices.The government this week approved financial measures to help businesses dealing with the spike in fuel prices seen after the Middle East war.The truck blockades that had paralysed southern Italy, leading to acute fuel and food shortages for a week, have now been lifted.