Italy deploys 3,300 forces, drones ahead of Oct 24 protests

Rome will see around 1,500 officers on the streets, while Milan is preparing about 1,800 police personnel, municipal officers and soldiers, Italian authorities said ahead of Saturday's nationwide cost-of-living protests. Drones operated by the State Police's 1st Flight Department and aircraft from the Carabinieri will watch from above, with checks stretching from public squares to railway stations.

Where protests are planned

More than 30 mobilisations, including marches, sit-ins, assemblies and strikes, are scheduled in Rome, Milan, Bologna, Genoa, Turin and Florence, according to a website tracking protest initiatives. The group calling itself the October 17 Movement has called for protests in eight Italian cities at 1300 GMT on Saturday. In Milan, authorised protests will be held away from the Duomo, while demonstrations have been banned in the Garibaldi and Porta Venezia districts. In Rome, police have drawn up a plan covering both authorised demonstrations and spontaneous rallies announced online.

Why security is so tight

The scale of the deployment follows violent incidents on October 17 and 18, when groups smashed shop windows, looted stores and clashed with police in Milan, Turin and Bologna, and public disorder in Bologna led to the preventive closure of the city's central railway hub. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence in posts on October 17 and 18, saying security personnel had faced attacks from organised groups exploiting demonstrations, and called on opposition parties to condemn the violence without ambiguity. After the unrest, the government approved an emergency security decree creating a new offence of violent participation in a demonstration, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to €20,000. Milan's mayor has urged shops to stay open on Saturday after looters targeted boutiques last weekend, while some businesses have boarded up windows.

What is being watched online

Rome's Cybersecurity Centre is working with Digos, the specialised operational division of the State Police, to monitor social media posts, including on Telegram, TikTok and Instagram, amid the circulation of guides offering advice on preparing for confrontations with police. France is also stepping up security: its interior minister announced around 70,000 personnel nationwide on Saturday after some of the country's worst urban violence in years.

Glossary

• Carabinieri: one of Italy's national law-enforcement forces, with both military and policing roles.
• Digos: the State Police division that monitors political and public-order threats.
• Cost-of-living protests: demonstrations against rising prices, particularly housing and fuel.

What happens next

Saturday's protests will test whether the heavy security presence keeps demonstrations peaceful. Watch for official statements after the marches, any arrests or clashes reported by police, and whether the new anti-riot decree is applied to anyone detained.

📷 Illustration: AI-generated