Milan braces for fresh protests as police conduct 150 raids in Lombardy

Security forces deployed across Milan on Saturday as protests were called in eight Italian cities against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government and rising living costs, a week after clashes and looting rattled the city.

Police conducted 150 raids in the northern region of Lombardy on Saturday morning, following further raids across several cities on Friday targeting people suspected of involvement in last weekend's violence. Of the 271 people arrested after that initial protest, 220 were under the age of 18.

The demonstrations were organised by a group calling itself the October 17 Movement, alongside student federations, grassroots trade unions and antiwar coalitions. Police confirmed they were questioning the administrator of the group's Instagram page — identified by Corriere della Sera as a 30-year-old Italian-Moroccan freelance journalist and researcher — on suspicion of inciting crimes.

In response to the looting, the government announced the deployment of 500 soldiers to Milan. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio said there was a need to expand youth detention capacity.

Protest organisers kept the demonstration's location secret until the last minute, planning to release meeting points via social media on Saturday afternoon. On their Telegram channel, organisers urged participants to remain peaceful.