Italy protests: Indian nationals in Italy advised to exercise caution and avoid crowded areas

The Embassy of India in Rome has advised Indian nationals in Italy to exercise caution and avoid crowded areas and places where protests are taking place following demonstrations and clashes with police in several Italian cities.

In an advisoryThe embassy said there were protests and demonstrations in some Italian cities last week and urged Indians to follow local news and report on these events.

“In case of any emergency, Indian nationals may contact,” the embassy said, providing emergency contact numbers Embassy of India in Rome and the Consulate General of India in Milan.

Indian nationals in Italy can contact the following helplines in case of emergency:

– Embassy of India, Rome: +39 331 614 2085

– Consulate General of India, Milan: +39 3881647527

Milan shops close soon amid fears of new riots

The warning comes as shops in central Milan closed early on Monday amid fears of another wave of unrest after two days of protests in which protesters clashed with police, looted shops and damaged property.

Several stores in Milan’s luxury Via Montenapoleone shopping district, home to brands such as Chanel, Tiffany and Dior, removed merchandise from their windows as a precaution.

Hundreds of hooded protesters, many believed to be minors, reportedly set fire to bins and looted shops in the city center over the weekend. The violence followed an initially peaceful demonstration on Saturday over poor public services and the rising cost of living.

Sports retailers Decathlon and Arc’teryx, along with mobile operator Vodafone, were among the businesses reported to have been looted. Retailers including Levi’s and Under Armour, as well as Decathlon, covered their windows with cardboard and wooden panels.

Read also | Protests in France: Cars set on fire, shops looted, police arrest 272 protesters

Giorgia Meloni condemns the violence, the government is considering tougher measures

Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni on Monday (October 19th) condemned violence during protests in several Italian cities and called on opposition parties to unequivocally condemn the unrest.

Meloni, who faces national elections next year, chaired a meeting with ministers and security chiefs to discuss the situation after protesters clashed with police, damaged property and disrupted public services.

Meloni expressed his respect for the thousands of people who demonstrated peacefully, criticizing violent incidents in Milan, Turin and Bologna, including attacks on police officers and damage that forced the suspension of a parade in Milan and the precautionary closure of a railway station in Bologna.

“Demonstrating is a right. Burning down our cities is not,” Meloni wrote in a post on the social networkand called on all demonstrations to remain peaceful.

In a separate post on Sunday (October 18) Italy’s prime minister expressed solidarity with police officers who faced violence during the protests and thanked them for protecting citizens, workers and merchants.

Hundreds detained after clashes in Milan

Italian police said they detained 271 youths during Sunday’s riots in Milan. Of those taken to police stations, 32 were arrested, including 23 minors and 13 foreign nationals, police said Monday. Another 28 people were reported to judicial authorities.

The unrest followed Saturday’s clashes in Milan and other northern Italian cities, including Bologna, Brescia, Bergamo and Turin. According to a police report released on Sunday, 28 protesters were arrested during the incidents.

The unrest mirrored unrest in neighboring France, where hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets on Saturday over rising living costs and declining public services. The demonstrations were among the most violent in recent years in the country.

(With inputs from Reuters, AP)

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