Soldiers guard center of Milan as thousands of protesters march in cities across Europe
MILAN —
asserted
thousands → guard → Europe
Thousands of young people marched Saturday through the streets of several Italian cities, including Milan, Rome and Turin, as authorities deployed large numbers of police and soldiers in a largely successful bid to stave off a repeat of the violent clashes and looting that marred similar protests last week.
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that → march → protests
The demonstration in Milan remained peaceful, but there were brief clashes with police in both Rome and Turin.
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demonstration → remain → Rome
In Milan, thousands of young people marched the streets as soldiers were deployed and luxury boutiques were boarded up, but by late afternoon, most shops had opened, Italian media reported.
Premier Giorgia Meloni announced a raft of measures, including sending an additional 500 soldiers to Milan and tougher penalties for minors, who police said made up a large part of the violent protesters last week.
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police → march → protesters
In Milan, police detained several minors as a preventive measure, media reported.
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media → detain → measure
While protests in France have claimed most international attention, large demonstrations also rocked many European cities Saturday from Milan to Rome to Madrid, Lisbon and Tirana.
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demonstrations → claim → Madrid
The protests encompass a broad range of issues from education and corruption to anti-war movements, pensions and housing.
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protests → encompass → movements
Army vehicles and boarded-up luxury stores in Milan
In Milan, huge crowds of mostly young people gathered as night fell, chanting insults to Meloni and holding aloft banners such as "No to lies of the state.
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night → board → state
A group of protesters dumped manure outside Italy's energy regulator and burned a symbolic, oversized electricity bill, images broadcast on local television showed.
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images → dump → television
The 500 soldiers deployed to Milan came in addition to hundreds already stationed there, supporting about 5,000 police and other security personnel.
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soldiers → deploy → police
Authorities used drone surveillance, checks at railway stations, rapid-response units and online monitoring for potential calls to violence.
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Authorities → use → violence
A mayoral hopeful, Pierfrancesco Majorino, who announced his candidacy Thursday, joined the marchers and remarked how peaceful the day was, according to Italian media.
uncertain
day → announce → media
He will contest a center-left primary in early 2027.
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He → contest → 2027
Milan's center-left Mayor Giuseppe Sala, who has held the role since 2016, is not running again.
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who → hold → 2016
Many stores, particularly luxury boutiques within Milan's fashion district including Omega, Tiffany and Gucci, boarded up their front windows.
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stores → include → windows
The Apple store also shut down and remained shut even as others reopened.
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others → shut → ?
Rioters last weekend smashed their way into stores, targeting sneakers, athletic wear and sporting goods on streets that run off the city's central Duomo square.
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that → smash → square
Security measures extended beyond the city center over concerns protesters could move into other neighborhoods.
uncertain
protesters → extend → neighborhoods
The protesters ended their march peacefully Saturday evening outside the Milan Polytechnic, more than 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the city center.
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protesters → end → center
Officials said Saturday they were investigating a 30-year-old freelance journalist said to be the "mastermind" of the newly formed Oct. 17 movement, which has been the main driver of the recent protests in Italy.
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which → say → Italy
Milan police say last week's violence and looting involved about 2,000 very young protesters, many of them "naturalized, second-generation Italians," alongside foreign nationals.
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violence → say → nationals
Over two days, police arrested 45 people, including 34 minors.
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police → arrest → minors
A group of about 30 far-right activists, described as hooligans linked to Inter Milan soccer club, made a brief appearance chanting anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim slogans but were isolated by police.
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said the soldiers deployed Saturday were only recently allowed to use plastic restraint ties and only in areas around train stations, not throughout the city.
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soldiers → describe → city
They are not authorized to carry pepper spray or tasers, he said.
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he → authorize → spray
Protesters try to force entry into Colosseum in Rome
Security was also heightened in Rome, where authorities locked down luxury shopping streets and stepped up controls around the Circus Maximus and Piazza del Popolo.
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authorities → try → Maximus
A small number of protesters tried to force their way into the Colosseum, but were ushered out by guards.
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number → try → guards
Elsewhere, several hundred students demonstrated peacefully to stress they were not rioters.
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they → demonstrate → ?
"I think the images from last week were truly something terrible, especially for the young people, for the students, for the vast majority of the younger generations who want to study ... and do not accept being represented by those who use issues and needs to devastate entire cities," said Riccardo Ponzio, national president of an Italian far-right student association.
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Ponzio → think → association
A separate anti-war march took place in central Rome.
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march → take → Rome
Organizers sought to distance themselves from potential unrest, urging participants to keep their faces uncovered and hands visible.
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hands → seek → participants
But it was these marchers who briefly clashed with police near the Piazza della Repubblica, even as organizers were trying to hold the crowd back using batons and tear gas.
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organizers → clash → batons
In the end, the protesters pulled back when a water cannon was turned on.
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cannon → pull → end
They retreated to a location about half a kilometer (mile) away.
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They → retreat → location
Clashes and buildings set on fire in Albania
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Clashes → set → Albania
In Albania's capital Tirana, riot police used water cannons on large groups of protesters, some of whom set government buildings on fire and threw projectiles at police.
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some → use → police
Authorities said 2,500 officers patrolled the streets Saturday.
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officers → say → streets
For over a week, protesters have hurled rocks, flares, firebombs and fireworks at police who have used batons and tear gas in clashes in the city center.
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who → hurl → center
High school and university students are demanding lower tuition fees, greater state investment in education and protesting corruption in the education system.
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students → demand → system
Some have joined a broader anti-government movement calling for the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.
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Some → join → Rama
A separate protest organized by the opposition outside the prime minister's office turned violent earlier, with some activists lighting fires on the street.
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activists → organize → street
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
