Article · Geopolitics
After the Milan riots Italy sends 500 soldiers and promises up to five years in prison for violent participation in a demonstration. What the government decided and what is still unclear
On 20 October 2026 Giorgia Meloni's cabinet approved an emergency decree after the riots of 17-18 October in Milan, Bologna and Turin: 500 extra soldiers go to Milan until the end of the year, a new offence of "violent participation in demonstrations" carries up to 5 years in prison and a €20,000 fine, and parents become liable for damage done by minors. Sources disagree on how many police were hurt (more than 100 or nearly 200), how many were detained, and whether the soldiers get police powers. The decree must be converted into law within 60 days or it lapses.
On 20 October 2026, three days after the riots in Milan, the Italian government adopted a decree that sends 500 soldiers to the city and creates a new offence for violent participation in demonstrations. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said: "Protesting is a right; devastating our cities is not." The opposition and a prison-rights NGO say the reasons young people took to the streets remain untouched.