Milan steps up security ahead of new protests: troops deployed to the streets, shops board up their windows

Military and police patrol Milan ahead of new protests

In Milan, military personnel and police have been deployed to the streets: the city is preparing for new protest actions on Saturday, which come a week after clashes and the ransacking of shops in the 'capital of fashion and finance.' As Euronews reports, the authorities have additionally sent around 500 soldiers, who are to reinforce the law enforcement forces already in place. At the same time, retail outlets, including luxury boutiques and major chains, are boarding up their windows, fearing a new wave of violence.

A package of security measures and the authorities' concerns

According to Euronews, the package of security measures includes the use of surveillance drones, checks at railway stations, and the deployment of rapid response units. Officials fear that demonstrators may move their actions to other districts in order to bypass areas with a particularly heavy police presence. The editorial team notes that the early boarding-up of shop windows and the involvement of the army show the scale of the consequences of the previous riots for the city's commercial hub; however, the sources do not report either the causes of the protests or which organizations called them — this information remains unknown for now.

Why this matters

The situation directly affects Milan's residents and the businesses operating in the city: the recent clashes and ransacking of shops have already caused damage to retail outlets, which is why entrepreneurs are forced to board up their windows, and movement around the city on Saturday will be complicated by checks at stations and intensified patrols. The published materials do not yet indicate how long the heightened security regime will last or whether the protests will take place in the announced format.