Rho, Italy: Security crackdown sparks criticism as city approves new data center

On 4 August 2026, Rho carried out a joint security operation involving the State Police, Carabinieri, local police, fire services and ATM staff. The effort identified 574 people, checked 76 vehicles and inspected 17 businesses, resulting in nine fines, two drug‑related arrests, six complaints and five eviction orders. The Centro Sociale Fornace criticised the operation as propaganda, questioning why similar resources are not directed toward housing, social services and environmental monitoring. Mayor Andrea Orlandi defended the action, noting a €2 million allocation for police facilities, including a provisional Carabinieri barracks and an immigration office.

Later in August, the Rho municipal council, led by Mayor Orlandi, approved an implementation plan for a second data centre on Via Moscova, on the former Nilit and Radici industrial site. The project, valued at about €5.6 million, will be built and operated by Goodman Olimpia Logistics (Italy) S.r.l., covering up to 25,000 m² with a 90 MW power demand. The regional law designates the site as a priority for data‑centre development, and the Ministry of Enterprises has labeled the project strategically significant. Local groups, still uneasy after an Amazon data centre opened nearby, have called for a moratorium to assess environmental impacts.