Meloni sends the army to Milan and toughens penalties after the riots over the cost of living

Barcelona500 soldiers on the streets of Milan. This is the response from Giorgia Meloni's far-right executive to this weekend's riots in the Italian city, where violent acts were particularly serious. Replicating what was happening in France, protests against the rising cost of living ended in clashes between police and demonstrators and the looting of some luxury shops and stores. Meloni herself confirmed this Tuesday, after a meeting of the council of ministers, the approval of the military reinforcement, which will extend "until the end of the year".

In the morning, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and vice-president of the executive, Antonio Tajani, defended the measure in order to prevent looting and "guarantee free trade". The presence of agents on the country's streets is not new. In Italy, since 2008 there have been soldiers deployed in conflict points and in particularly touristy areas, within the framework of what is called Operation Safe Streets. What is different this time is that now the military is being deployed in a considerable amount –half a thousand–, all at once and to contain protests.

The approval of the measure, however, has generated tensions in the Italian government. After the other vice-president of the government, Matteo Salvini, announced the intention to send soldiers on Monday evening, the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, said: "It is easy to announce more soldiers without facing the problem of what they will have to do and how they will be able to do it". For this reason, he requested that the agents be able to act as police forces supporting the carabinieri and the city police.

The far-right executive has also received criticism from outside. The police union SIAP has warned that endowing the military with judicial police functions "requires specific training, experience, and organization". Ultimately, however, the soldiers will not have police functions. The state prefecture has prevented it, and the military will be dedicated to accompanying public order agents. Opposition parties criticize the measure, and see it as an attempt to "militarize" the city.

The package of measures approved by the Italian Council of Ministers also includes the creation of a crime of violent participation in a demonstration, with penalties of up to five years in prison and fines that can reach 20,000 euros. In the criminal sphere, the presumption of imputability for minors between fourteen and eighteen years of age will be criminalized with immediate effect, and the police chief is allowed to apply oral warnings and a ban on gathering in public spaces to young people with a history of violent acts.

Protests across Europe

In Italy, as is happening in several European states, there are multiple protests underway. On Saturday, various demonstrations were called, especially in the northern cities, to protest against the rising cost of living. In Milan, the police arrested 271 people and the courts have ordered prison for four of those detained, aged between 18 and 21 according to local media. Meanwhile, in the south of the country, transport workers have been protesting since last week against the rising price of fuel.

In recent days, demonstrations have been proliferating across the European continent. The trigger for most of the mobilizations and outbursts of anger being experienced in the Old Continent is education, but in most cases the protests already go far beyond demands in the classrooms. Economic insecurity, growing inequality, and uncertainty about the future are factors that are fueling the calls, which arrive with social unrest accumulated for years as a backdrop.