Italy deploys 500 troops to Milan under new security decree following violent clashes

Italy approved the deployment of an additional 500 troops to Milan on Tuesday following violent clashes at protests over the rising cost of living.

Demonstrations turned violent over the weekend in several Italian cities, including Milan, Turin and Bologna. Protesters clashed with police, while shops were looted and property damaged.

However, the cabinet stopped short of granting soldiers additional policing powers, reportedly following opposition from President Sergio Mattarella.

The deployment forms part of the government's new Public Security Decree, which introduces tougher measures targeting violent protests and juvenile crime.

"Destroying and stealing is not protest, it is crime, and the state's response must be firm," Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a video posted on X after the cabinet meeting.