Italy stations 500 troops in Milan

Italy has positioned 500 soldiers in Milan ahead of a new round of protests scheduled for Saturday in eight cities. The deployment represents the central component of a security package announced by the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni following last weekend's unrest. The demonstrations target the right-wing administration and the rising cost of living.

The October 17 Movement, a recently formed coalition including student federations and trade unions, called for the new demonstrations. The group stated on Instagram that it distrusts the government as authoritarian. Organizers have kept the specific locations secret until the final hour, planning to reveal three meeting points on social media on Saturday afternoon.

Police conducted raids in several cities on Friday and carried out 150 additional searches in the Lombardy region on Saturday morning. Officers targeted individuals suspected of participating in the looting and riots that occurred last Sunday. According to Adnkronos, the raids aim to identify those involved in the disorder.

Authorities are investigating the administrator of the movement's Instagram page. Corriere della Sera identified him as a 30-year-old Italian-Moroccan freelance journalist and researcher. He is under investigation for the suspicion of inciting crimes. Police told Al Jazeera that they located and are currently questioning the man.

Last Sunday's arrests included a large number of young people. Of the 271 individuals detained, 220 were under the age of 18. Lawyer Michele D'Agostino, who is defending a 15-year-old and a 21-year-old, noted that the teenager learned about the protest through TikTok. The minor was not involved in looting but did not understand the severity of the situation.

The public prosecutor attributed the youth involvement to social media, describing the events as insurrectional acts. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio told Sky TG24 that Italy must expand the capacity of its youth detention facilities. In a separate development, the government approved tax breaks and a special fund for farmers and fishermen to offset the impact of truck driver roadblocks in southern Italy.