Italy's Meloni approves tougher anti-riot laws after Milan violence

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ROME —Italy approved a raft of security measures on Tuesday, including a new offence of violent participation in a demonstration, tougher penalties for rioters, and financial liability for parents whose children take part in vandalism and looting.

The move came after unrest swept northern Italian cities at the weekend, including the financial capital Milan, where gangs of mainly young people went on the rampage, smashing windows, robbing shops and attacking police.

"There is nothing revolutionary about vandalising and stealing. Vandalism and theft are not protest, they are criminality," Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on social media, unveiling the decree.

As part of the package, which comes into immediate effect, anyone who takes part in a group of at least five people and endangers public safety during protests faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of €20,000 ($22,460).

Penalties increase if faces are concealed or people are injured.

Authorities are empowered to order prompt compensation for any damage inflicted and, in the case of minors, their parents will be held liable.

Police will be allowed to detain youths aged between 14 and 17, even if they have not committed a crime, provided there is evidence they pose a danger, extending powers that previously applied only to adults.

While authorities fear further unrest at demonstrations planned for Saturday, the government said it would deploy 500 army troops alongside the police in Milan until the end of 2026.

The military will help reinforce security at key sites, step up surveillance of sensitive locations and enhance monitoring across the area, the defence ministry said in a statement.

Security crackdown

The disturbances in northern Italy echoed riots in neighbouring France, where hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets on Saturday in some of the country's most violent turmoil in years.

Meloni has passed a steady stream of security crackdowns since taking office in 2022, which critics say do little to address the underlying causes of crime and disorder.

Italy's prison population has increased by more than 17% over four years, or nearly 10,000 people, government data shows.

Meloni's government is also facing mounting pressure from a separate wave of protests in southern Italy, where truck drivers angered by soaring diesel prices and the rising cost of living have staged roadblocks that are disrupting supply chains.

Some pasta makers have had to halt production and agricultural groups have warned that fruit and vegetables could be left to rot. The government has promised fresh aid for road hauliers after talks with industry representatives.

Protesters in both the north and the south say rising prices are pushing families into poverty -- a concern for Meloni ahead of national elections that are due in 2027.

"We know what it means to look for a job, to earn an insufficient wage, and to see no prospects for the future ... but hardship must never be used as an excuse for violence," the prime minister said on Tuesday.—Reuters