Italy Deploys Thousands of Troops Amid European Cost-of-Living Protests
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni deployed thousands of security personnel and soldiers across Italy to curb violence during nationwide protests against rising living costs.
The Government of Italy deployed thousands of police officers and soldiers across major cities on October 24, 2026, to manage nationwide protests against the rising cost of living. In Milan, authorities stationed 5,000 law enforcement personnel and 500 additional soldiers following a weekend of looting and clashes involving approximately 2,000 young protesters. Rome saw the deployment of 1,500 officers and the lockdown of luxury shopping streets to prevent further unrest.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence, stating that "demonstrating is a right. Setting our cities ablaze is not." In response to the disorder, her government adopted a security decree introducing a new offense for "violent participation in a demonstration" and easing detention rules for minors. Security forces utilized drones, helicopters, and social media monitoring to track the October 17 Movement, a group that complicated police planning by withholding protest locations until shortly before marches began.
The unrest is part of a broader wave of European instability. In Tirana, Albania, students clashed with riot police using water cannons while demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. Retirees marched in Madrid, Spain, to protect public pensions, while protesters in Lisbon, Portugal, targeted Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's rent and eviction policies. In Paris, France, unions clashed with police over approved protest routes. To ensure safety, the United States Mission to Italy and other diplomatic bodies issued advisories urging nationals to avoid protest areas.
