Milan judge cites destabilization project after violent city center riots

A Milan judge has ordered the imprisonment of four adults and house arrest for a fifth individual following violent clashes in the city center on October 17. The magistrate, Fabrizio Ficile, characterized the events—which began as a protest against the cost of living—as having degenerated into “urban guerrilla” warfare involving group assaults on police, looting, and destruction of property.

The judge warned of an “extremely high” risk of similar violence occurring in the near future. Investigations are currently focused on social media accounts, specifically ‘Italia in piazza’ and ‘Movimento 17 ottobre’, which allegedly used digital platforms to call for permanent, violent, and insurrectionary mobilizations.

According to the court order, authorities believe there is a “precise project of destabilization of public order” that exploits the spontaneous anger of young people to incite further unrest.