Living cost protests and clashes in Milan
Milan, Lombardy, Italy · since Oct 17, 2026
Is it still on?
YESDay 8 and counting, since Oct 17.
Last report · checked
The Tea in three lines
- Why they are protesting
- Protesters are demonstrating over soaring living costs and unaffordable housing.
- What they want
- Better economic prospects and relief from high living costs and housing expenses.
- What changed
- Oct 23: Italian police raided homes of approximately 100 people suspected of involvement in the rioting.
Both sides
What protesters want
- Relief from soaring living costs
- Affordable housing
What authorities say
The government deployed 500 troops and paratroopers to Milan, enacted new security measures, introduced a crime of violent participation in demonstrations punishable by up to five years in prison, and held parents financially accountable for minor children involved in looting. Police conducted nationwide raids and detained individuals.123
The numbers
Only figures a source states, with who said it. Estimates often differ.
- Arrests / detentions
- 32
- 32 were arrested, including 23 minors and 13 foreign nationals, and over 270 detained1
The full story
Hundreds of mostly young people marched through Milan on a Saturday afternoon to protest against soaring living costs and unaffordable housing. According to reports, the atmosphere was initially peaceful until police blocked access to a street and pushed the crowd back with shields, after which clashes ensued with tear gas and projectiles. Concurrently, groups of masked individuals engaged in vandalism and looting in the city centre during the weekend. The Italian government responded by deploying 500 paratroopers to Milan, enacting new security measures targeting minors, and criminalising violent participation in demonstrations.
Timeline
State police DIGOS division searched homes of approximately 100 people suspected of involvement in rioting.2
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