ISTANBUL – Italy’s government will approve the deployment of 500 troops with police powers in Milan following weekend violence during protests over the cost of living, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Tuesday.
The deployment will be among measures Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Cabinet is expected to approve later Tuesday, the ANSA news agency reported.
Speaking at an event in Rome, Tajani said the package would also include measures that “will make it more difficult even for minors to commit crimes.”
“The government’s response will be very firm to ensure free commerce and the free movement of citizens in city centres,” he said.
The unrest began Saturday on the sidelines of a demonstration against the high cost of living and continued Sunday. Groups of youths smashed shop windows and looted stores and supermarkets before dispersing.
Fourteen police officers were injured as rioters threw stones, bottles and flares. More than 270 people were detained, around 80 percent of them minors.
Tajani distinguished peaceful protesters from those responsible for the violence.
“Peaceful demonstrations are legitimate because we live in a democracy, but those who devastated downtown Milan are criminals, often without political motives,” he said.
“We’ll have to see if there was any orchestration behind it.”
The announcement followed a meeting Meloni chaired on Monday with ministers and senior security officials.
More curfews
In France, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Tuesday that authorities could impose further localized curfews following violence during weekend protests against the high cost of living.
In a statement on US social media platform X, Lecornu said targeted curfews “contributed to calm” overnight, adding that further restrictions could be announced Tuesday evening “where the situation requires it.”
Decisions would be taken locally by prefects in coordination with mayors, he said.
Partial curfews took effect Monday night in areas including Paris and Lyon.
Marseille will introduce a curfew for minors in certain areas from 10 pm to 5 am starting Tuesday evening, lasting at least until Friday, Le Figaro reported.
Mayor Benoit Payan said the restrictions would apply exclusively to commercial areas hit by looting or considered at risk.
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said 149 people had been jailed as of midday Tuesday, updating an earlier figure of 67. Authorities previously reported that 2,513 people had been taken into custody.
Earlier Tuesday, he said around 50 judicial investigations had been opened.
Speaking to CNews-Europe 1, Darmanin rejected the need for a state of emergency, saying authorities could restore order through firmness without restricting the individual freedoms of the entire population.
Meanwhile, parliamentary group leaders agreed to begin a procedure for the National Assembly’s Law Committee to become a commission of inquiry into the weekend violence, looting and policing measures.
National Assembly President Yael Braun-Pivet urged the government to address protesters’ demands, saying hundreds of thousands had demonstrated peacefully.
She warned that policing concerns should not overshadow the budget debate and demonstrators’ grievances.
Lecornu is scheduled to meet with unions Wednesday and representatives of political parties Thursday.
Business federation Medef President Patrick Martin accused the state of failing to maintain order, citing preliminary government estimates that at least 3,000 businesses were affected.
Economy Minister Roland Lescure said support measures would be announced for affected traders and craftspeople to help them resume operations quickly.
A Yellow Vest coordination group has called for another mobilization on Saturday.
