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Protests against the high cost of living and Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition government turned violent in several Italian cities, with clashes between demonstrators and security forces in Milan, Bologna and Turin.

A trade union march in Rome attended by tens of thousands ended without incident, while Prime Minister Meloni condemned the violence and called on the opposition to do the same.

Meloni condemns violence, Salvini attacks protesters

Prime Minister Meloni said in a post on the social media platform X that she had great respect for the thousands of people who demonstrated peacefully. "Participation is the foundation of every healthy democracy," Meloni said, adding that what happened in other cities could not be ignored. Meloni cited stones thrown at security forces and injured officers in Milan, the arrest of people carrying paving stones and glass-breaking hammers in Turin, and the precautionary closure of the train station in Bologna. "Protesting is a right. Turning our cities into war zones is not," Meloni said.

Meloni also called on the opposition to clearly condemn the violence. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Matteo Salvini reacted to the clashes and described the protesters as "cowards and criminals".

Key takeaways

• Clashes between protesters and police erupted in Milan's Duomo Square and nearby streets
• Tensions also rose in Bologna and Turin, where police used water cannon and tear gas
• A CGIL march in Rome with tens of thousands of participants ended peacefully and a national strike was called for November 20
• Meloni defended the right to protest but condemned the violence, while Salvini called the protesters cowards and criminals