Susanna Riva The afternoon of October 24, 2026, was marked by a series of large-scale demonstrations against rearmament and the so-called "high cost of living." The marches, which started from various historic squares, met with a firm response from the police, who used tear gas , relief charges , and water cannons to disperse the crowds.
Tensions quickly rose to critical levels, generating clashes in at least five cities: Bologna , Turin, Florence, Milan and Naples.
Bologna: The march clashes with police on Via Marconi.
The march began in Piazza del Nettuno, where about a thousand people gathered in a spontaneous demonstration. From Piazza dei Martiri, the protesters continued along Via Ugo Bassi and then reached Via Marconi, where police intercepted the flow with riot police.
Some participants threw rocks and firecrackers, prompting police to respond with heavy tear gas and water cannons to reduce the crowd. Several relief charges were carried out to prevent the march from reaching the station.
Turin: Rockets, bottles, and charges at the Mosca Bridge
In Turin, the demonstration took a more dangerous turn.
After crossing Piazza Castello, the march reached the Mosca Bridge, a turning point towards Borgo Dora and the city center. Here, protesters began throwing improvised flares and glass bottles at police, prompting a heavy barrage of tear gas . The police, deployed with shields and batons, launched a series of counter-charges , pushing the protesters towards Lungo Dora Napoli, where tensions temporarily subsided.
Florence and Milan: Roadblocks, shutters down, and anti-police chants
In Florence's historic center, the march was blocked for over an hour on the Santa Trinita Bridge, where police blocked access to Via Tornabuoni, known as the city's "high street." Officers occasionally threw objects and beat people with truncheons, accompanied by chants of "Let us pass" and "We are all underpaid." Meanwhile, in Milan, a march of about five hundred people set out from Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, growing to several thousand. Many businesses lowered their shutters for fear of disorder, while police conducted relief charges on Via Borghetto, blocking passage toward the Duomo.
Naples and the presence of hooded groups: a climate of alarm
In Naples, the protest against the high cost of living took place on Via de Pretis, in front of the MSC cruise company building. Police in riot gear erected a barrier that led to a brief scuffle . Several groups of hooded youths appeared, throwing firecrackers and shouting anti-government slogans. Despite the explosion of two firecrackers, the situation quickly returned to normal, with protesters reaching Piazza Municipio and continuing to chant "Giorgia Meloni, go away."
October 24th saw a growing escalation of violence in the Italian protests, with police using projectiles , tear gas , and several assisted-action charges . Authorities reported approximately thousands of participants in total, highlighting the need for more effective control to prevent further violent confrontations.