Meloni decries violent demonstrations as Italian police clash with protesters in Milan, Bologna

Italian police fired tear gas in Milan and used water cannons in Bologna on Saturday after cost-of-living protests turned violent. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence, saying demonstrating is a right but turning cities into battlegrounds is not. Seven arrests were made in Bologna.

Italian police clashed with protesters in Milan and Bologna on Saturday, October 17, 2026, during demonstrations over the rising cost of living. In Milan, police fired tear gas after being attacked with stones in Piazza del Duomo, and riot gear officers cleared hooded protesters from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade. Shops closed and the Duomo metro station was shut. In Bologna, police used a water cannon and made seven arrests after the protest turned violent. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence on X/Twitter, stating, 'Demonstrating is a right. Turning our cities into battlegrounds is not.' The clashes echoed violent protests in France, where tens of thousands demonstrated over rising costs and declining public services.