Italy to respond to Milan clashes and looting ‘with great firmness’, foreign minister says

From preventive detention to bans on gatherings: proposed measures and new powers for troops deployed in Milan Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has vowed that the government would respond to recent clashes and looting in Milan "with great firmness" as he announced that 500 military personnel would be deployed to the city's streets. "Five hundred military personnel, who will also be granted judicial police powers, will be deployed to help ensure security and carry out robust preventive measures," Tajani said on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Welfare Italia Forum in Rome. Protests that have gripped France in recent weeks spilled over into Italy over the weekend, as cost-of-living demonstrations descended into violence and brought clashes with police in cities including Milan, Turin and Bologna. "Furthermore, a series of regulatory and legal decisions will be introduced to make it more difficult for minors to engage in criminal activity," Tajani announced. New government measures being considered include the extension of preventive detention to up to 24 hours, including for those under 18; allowing delayed arrests for property damage committed by groups; and a ban on gatherings for individuals deemed a threat to public order. The package could also include new offences and harsher penalties for acts of violence during demonstrations. The troop deployment will reinforce a security operation already in place in Milan, with soldiers to guard key locations and help maintain order in public areas. Preventive detention of up to 24 hours One of the main proposals is to extend the maximum period of preventive detention from 12 to 24 hours and allow it to be applied to minors, where the legal conditions are met. Preventive detention is not a conviction and does not necessarily mean an offence has already been committed. It is a preventive measure that can be used when specific conditions are met and there are concrete grounds to believe someone poses a threat to public order. Its use, particularly in the case of minors, must comply with the safeguards provided by law. Gang crime and fines The proposals could also toughen penalties for vandalism committed by groups. One option under consideration is a specific offence of aggravated damage committed by a group, carrying harsher penalties when several people act together to damage public or private property. A security bill already under debate in the Senate sets out provisions on damage committed by at least five people, with prison sentences of up to five years and fines of up to €15,000. The government could bring forward or revise some of these provisions in the new decree. Another measure is arrest in flagrante delicto on a deferred basis, which allows suspects to be arrested later on the basis of evidence such as photographs and video footage, even if they were not caught in the act. The government is considering extending its use to group damage to strengthen action against those involved in acts of destruction. The League is also calling for mandatory arrests for acts of devastation during demonstrations and for deferred arrests to be permitted within 48 hours. Some of these measures are already provided for under current law. The scope of any changes, and the offences they would cover, remains to be seen. Ban on gatherings Other measures under consideration include tightening restrictions on gatherings, potentially extending their use beyond political demonstrations to prevent group violence. The measures could target people already known to the authorities for violence, assaults or property damage, including incidents linked to brawls and the so-called mala movida (rowdy nightlife), where legal conditions are met. The government is also considering strengthening the questore’s formal warning, issued by the public security authority to people deemed a threat and urging them to comply with the law. The aim would be to make existing preventive powers more effective. Tighter rules on roadblocks and assaults on public officials are also being considered. According to reports, one option is to crack down on those who organise or participate in organised violence during protests, potentially through a specific offence relating to criminal association. The details remain to be confirmed in the final text. Juvenile justice and penalties for parents The package could also include measures to strengthen the juvenile justice system. Members of the governing coalition have called for more staff at juvenile courts and additional places in detention facilities to speed up proceedings and the implementation of judicial measures. Another proposal would tighten administrative penalties for parents whose children are involved in certain violent incidents. Existing legislation already provides for penalties in some cases, so any new provisions would need to clarify what additional obligations or consequences would apply. There has also been discussion of making it harder for young foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes to obtain Italian citizenship. The proposal, backed by members of the League during parliamentary debate, does not appear to be among the measures confirmed for inclusion in the forthcoming decree.