Violent protests that swept through France over the weekend and unrest reported in Albania have been followed by clashes in Italy, where demonstrators and police confronted each other in Milan for a second consecutive night.
Protesters smashed shop windows, looted businesses and damaged property, prompting police to respond with tear gas and water cannons. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called an emergency security meeting in response to the unrest.
The disturbances in Milan began on Saturday during a demonstration against the high cost of living and continued into Sunday.
Masked protesters reportedly threw objects at police vehicles, overturned rubbish bins and damaged bicycles and scooters. A supermarket near Milan’s famous cathedral was also looted.
Similar incidents were reported in Bologna and Turin, according to the British newspaper Daily Mail.
Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala said he had witnessed broken windows, looted shops and frightened residents, expressing concern about the nature and spread of the unrest.
“I am very concerned because this is a new phenomenon that is also emerging from the international circumstances,” Sala said.
The violence has raised concerns among Italian authorities as they seek to assess the causes of the unrest and prevent further damage and confrontations.
