Italy deploys 500 soldiers to Milan ahead of nationwide protests

Protests are planned in eight Italian cities on Saturday against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government and the rising cost of living. The demonstrations follow a week of unrest in Milan, where clashes with police and looting occurred.

A group called the October 17 Movement, together with student federations, grassroots trade unions, and antiwar coalitions, has been leading the protests. The group said on Instagram that those who deny their future are truly violent and distrust the government as authoritarian.

The government announced new security measures, including the deployment of 500 soldiers to Milan, Italy's financial hub. Police conducted 150 raids in the Lombardy region on Saturday morning.

The movement said many protesters wanted to express their dissent peacefully. A participant said that if they give police an excuse, they will charge against them.

The location of the demonstration was kept secret until the last minute. Three meeting points were expected to be announced on Saturday afternoon.

The police questioned the administrator of the group's Instagram page. The administrator is a 30-year-old Italian-Moroccan freelance journalist and researcher under investigation for inciting crimes.

Most of those arrested last Sunday were very young. Of the 271 people detained, 220 were under 18.

The public prosecutor blamed social media for misleading young people into what he described as insurrectional acts. The justice minister said the country needed to expand its youth detention facilities.

Truck drivers set up roadblocks in southern Italy to protest soaring fuel prices. The government sought to ease the pressure by granting tax breaks and creating a special fund for farmers and fishermen.