October 19, 2026 — Central Milan saw a second night of rioting and looting on Sunday, October 18, after a march against wars and rising living costs on Saturday turned violent. The disorder hit the Piazza del Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and nearby shopping streets. Italy’s government called a public-order meeting in Rome for Monday, October 19.
What happened
- Saturday, October 17: AP reports that an authorised march started peacefully. Masked protesters then threw stones and paving blocks at riot police, set fire to barricades made from bar tables and damaged a carabinieri car, and looters hit shops around Piazza del Duomo. Police used water cannon and tear gas. Brussels Signal reports that 141 officers were injured that day.
- Sunday, October 18: According to Brussels Signal, groups moved between Piazza San Babila, Via Torino, Piazza del Duomo and Corso Vittorio Emanuele. They looted shops, including a supermarket, and broke windows at La Rinascente and at a fast-food outlet in the Galleria. The cathedral’s main doors were temporarily closed. ANSA reported that more than 200 young people were taken to police stations, about 80% of them minors.
- Other cities: Brussels Signal says protests also took place in Turin, Bologna, Bergamo and Brescia.
- Response: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence. She said demonstrating is a right but setting cities ablaze is not. Milan’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala, called the protesters’ reasons understandable but said the attacks on police and damage to the city were not. The government’s public-order meeting is set for October 19. Any new measures from it are TBA.
The reports we found mention damaged bus shelters and cars but no shutdowns of public transport. The US State Department advisory for Italy is unchanged at Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution), issued September 10.
Strikes still ahead
As we reported on October 18, Italy also faces a USB general strike and an international dockworkers’ day of action on October 30, a 23-hour national rail strike from the evening of Friday, November 20, and a four-hour national air traffic control strike on Saturday, November 21. We have no new developments on those today.
What it means for travelers
- Avoid the Duomo area during protests. The Duomo, the Galleria and Corso Vittorio Emanuele are among Milan’s busiest tourist spots, and they were the centre of the trouble. If a march is announced, plan sightseeing elsewhere or at another time.
- Hotels near the centre: Ask the front desk about planned marches, and stay in after dark if trouble is reported nearby.
- Check before heading to Malpensa or Linate. No transport shutdowns were reported, but allow extra time getting through central Milan if protests resume.
- Strike days: Don’t plan to fly out of Italy on October 30 or November 20–21 if you can avoid it, and have a backup way to reach the airport.
- Register: Americans can enroll in STEP, and Canadians in Registration of Canadians Abroad.
Sources
- AP via ABC News — Rioters loot stores, set fires in central Milan during cost-of-living protest
- Brussels Signal — Rioters loot shops and attack police in Milan for a second night
- Bloomberg via Insurance Journal — French Violence Raises Alert as Protests Flare Across Europe
- US State Department (official) — Travel Advisories
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