Italy Sends 500 Troops to Milan After Riots, Approves Tougher Protest Laws

Italy has approved sending 500 soldiers to Milan through the end of the year after a weekend of riots that left more than 100 police officers injured in the country's financial capital. The cabinet decree, approved on Tuesday, also creates tough new penalties for violent protesters, including up to five years in prison and fines of up to €20,000.
Around 2,000 youths rampaged through Milan's central shopping district on Saturday night, smashing shop windows and setting fires. About 270 people, most of them minors, were detained. Luxury stores including Chanel, Dior and Tiffany shuttered their windows as a precaution. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the new measures send a clear message that violence will not be tolerated.
The soldiers will support police under the long-running Safe Streets operation but were denied full policing powers after President Sergio Mattarella objected — they cannot make arrests. The new laws also make parents financially liable for damage caused by their minor children and allow preventive detention for offenders aged 14 to 17. Parliament has 60 days to confirm the decree, while protest groups have called for fresh demonstrations this Saturday.
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