Armoured vehicles deployed near Colosseum as major protests sweep Italy

Security tightened in Rome

Police trucks were positioned near the Circus Maximus to protect a military exhibition on Friday. The Colosseum was placed under lockdown after protesters entered the area the previous Saturday.

The demonstrations were part of a wider wave of unrest. Protesters rallied in 50 cities across Italy, with hundreds gathering outside Milan Polytechnic over education, living costs and rearmament.

Clashes and blockades reported

In Turin, protesters overturned bins containing manure outside city hall before a general strike began. They clashed with police and broke through a blockade on Via Rossini, prompting officers to retreat.

In Naples, a march left its planned route and headed towards the central station, La Stampa reported. Protesters chanted “let’s block everything,” while armoured vehicles guarded the station’s main entrance.

Students and workers join

In Bologna, student groups used dumpsters to block entrances to several high schools. Shopkeepers in the city centre put up screens to protect their windows. Medical students in Rome told La Repubblica they were protesting years of temporary contracts and monthly pay of €1,300-1,500, while paying €900 in rent. In Milan, a protester urged the crowd over a megaphone to oppose the high cost of living and make its voice heard.

A banner at a march in Rome expressed solidarity with other European countries experiencing protest movements. In Milan, a placard referenced the viral French phrase “Bismillah c'est les tenebres,” attributed to a purported French police officer.

Government measures and wider action

The Meloni government introduced emergency measures this month to curb protests. They include prison terms of up to five years and fines of €20,000 for joining a protest group deemed to endanger public safety.

The measures followed unrest in northern cities earlier in October, including Milan, where gangs smashed windows, robbed shops and attacked police. Across France, hundreds of thousands have marched in recent weeks over living costs, education reforms and declining public services.

Labour leaders and students have called for more demonstrations on Saturday and a nationwide strike on November 5. Dockworkers in 22 countries were also expected to strike on Friday over war and ports being used for arms exports, though participation and the scale of disruption remained unclear.