- Protests over the rising cost of living, education, and rearmament have swept across more than 50 Italian cities, with around 20,000 demonstrators marching in Rome.
- Demonstrators clashed with police in several cities, including Turin, Vicenza, and Naples, prompting heavy security deployments and armoured vehicles around major landmarks.
- The unrest targets Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, which recently introduced strict anti-riot laws featuring heavy fines, parental liability, and prison sentences of up to five years.
- The demonstrations in Italy reflect a broader wave of social unrest spreading across Europe, following massive strikes and marches over economic pressures in France, Spain, and Belgium.
- Dockworkers across 22 countries also backed a strike targeting more than 100 ports to protest against war and arms exports, potentially disrupting Mediterranean shipping.
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