Andrea Innocenti On Saturday the 17th and Sunday the 18th, downtown Milan was the scene of a series of clashes involving hundreds of young people. The streets around Piazza Duomo—Via Torino, Largo Cairoli, Corso Garibaldi, and Largo La Foppa—were invaded by hooded groups who threw bottles, rocks, and firecrackers at the police, damaging shop windows, shops, and public fixtures.
The total number of individuals taken to the police station exceeds 200 , approximately 80% of whom are minors . Some of them are as young as 11 or 12, others 13—practically children who found themselves in direct confrontation with law enforcement.
The spread of violence in central Milan
The first disturbances concentrated on Via Torino, where groups of youths attacked a Carrefour supermarket, beating security and raiding shelves. Foot Locker and the Champion store were also looted, with windows broken and merchandise stolen. On Via Orefici, the Under Armour store window was damaged, while on Via Dante, firecrackers and rocks were thrown at Carabinieri officers.
Law enforcement responded with tear gas, water cannons, and, in some cases, batons . Dozens of young people were arrested on the scene; by the end of the day, 104 officers had been injured during the ongoing clashes.
Who are the protagonists: profiles, ages and origins
The participants come from various municipalities in the Lombardy province—Treviglio, Cernusco, Saronno, Lomazzo—and neighboring areas. They are described as second- and third-generation "maranza," with mixed Italian, Eastern European, and North African roots. Some say they simply want to protest a state that ignores them; others speak of poverty and a lack of opportunity. One young man stated, "Splitting means protesting against the state that doesn't see us."
Many of them, without a single leader, arrived en masse thanks to invitations posted on social media. A video featuring a photo of a wrecked Carabinieri car launched the call, "Today, part 2. Meet at the Duomo at 15 PM," gathering at least two thousand young people in the square.
The reactions on social networks
During the two days of violence, the participants themselves filmed their actions, posting selfies in front of burned police vehicles or shattered windows. Some pages even began collecting data on parents and addresses, threatening retaliation. The video epidemic fueled the vicious cycle of imitation and recruitment, making it difficult for the authorities to contain it.
Legal consequences and material damages
On the first day, 72 people were detained, with 16 arrests (11 minors and 5 adults, including a girl). Charges for devastation, aggravated assault, and aggravated resisting arrest were filed . An additional group of 22 individuals were charged, eleven of them minors.
Urban banishment orders (DASPO) have been initiated against 19 young people, 13 of whom are under investigation and 6 arrested. Furthermore, law enforcement has reported injuries to 104 workers . Damage to commercial buildings—windows of Vodafone, Rinascente, Decathlon, and numerous sports shops—amounts to several hundred thousand euros, while authorities continue to assess the full extent of the losses.
By the next morning, the streets seemed to be back to normal, but the traces of violence—overturned garbage bins, burned signs, and wounded still being treated—reminded them that the calm was only apparent.