Protests against war and rising living costs swept major Italian cities on Saturday, with clashes reported in Turin, Rome and Bologna, a week after unrest erupted across the country.
Authorities deployed large numbers of police officers and many shops closed as a precaution against possible damage.
The demonstrations followed clashes last weekend in which protesters fought with police, looted shops and vandalised property. Saturday’s protests were largely peaceful in Milan, while confrontations occurred between demonstrators and police in Turin, Rome and Bologna.
Reuters witnesses did not observe any shops being looted or property vandalised during Saturday’s demonstrations.
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Authorities stepped up security measures after calls for further protests circulated on social media during the week, seeking to prevent a repeat of the previous weekend’s violence.
Earlier on Saturday, Italian police said they had detained a person allegedly linked to organising the “October 17 Movement”, which was associated with last weekend’s protests. The individual was taken to police headquarters in Milan for questioning.
