Italy Deploys Additional Police Force as Riots and Luxury Store Looting Spread from France
Milan and other Italian cities face a state of emergency and looting following protests inspired by widespread riots in France. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni vowed a firm response as authorities deployed additional police forces.
Milan, Italy's capital of fashion and luxury boutiques, has declared a state of emergency following riots that spread from France into Italy. Luxury fashion stores, watch shops, leather goods outlets, and jewelry stores were shuttered over the past two days. Those that did not board up their storefronts removed all valuable items to prevent looting. The government in Rome announced it would deploy approximately 500 additional police officers to maintain public order in the city.
Italian media broadcasted images of flagship stores, such as Versace and Louis Vuitton, completely emptied of merchandise after managers rushed to clear them out of fear of mass theft. While the riots in Italy were on a smaller scale than those in France, authorities were nonetheless surprised by the level of violence and mass looting. In France, approximately 800,000 people took to the streets, with dozens of targets set ablaze, including city halls and tourism bureaus. In Italy, the unrest concentrated in Milan, Turin, and Bologna, where several thousand people demonstrated.
Under the cover of protests and clashes with police, several luxury stores were looted by masked individuals. Young people shared footage of luxury brand looting on social media, while an initiative titled "Italy Takes to the Streets" gained traction on TikTok and other platforms. Damages so far are estimated in the millions of euros. Italian authorities identified radical left-wing protesters known to police, placing 45 young people in administrative detention as a preventive measure, and banned gatherings in Milan.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that the events must be addressed with utmost seriousness and firmness, emphasizing that while the right to protest is legitimate, "destroying our cities is not a legitimate action." She convened a special cabinet meeting and called on left-wing parties to condemn the violent demonstrations and looting. Meanwhile, France has also experienced severe unrest, with a nighttime curfew helping to calm tensions in recent hours. French President Emmanuel Macron promised compensation to businesses affected by widespread looting in Paris, Marseille, and other cities.
