STORY: Thousands of people marched through Milan on Saturday (February 7) in a protest over housing costs and urban affordability on the first full day of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics

The march, organized by grassroots unions, housing‑rights groups and social centre community activists, was set to highlight what activists call an increasingly unsustainable city model marked by soaring rents and deepening inequality.

The Olympics cap a decade in which Milan has seen a property boom following the 2015 World Expo, with locals squeezed by soaring living costs as Italy's tax scheme for wealthy new residents, alongside Brexit, drew professionals to the financial capital.

Saturday's protest follows a series of actions in the run‑up to the Games, including rallies on the eve of the opening ceremony that denounced the presence in Italy of U.S. ICE agents and what activists describe as the social and economic burdens of the Olympic project.

Some groups argue that Olympics are a waste of money and resources while housing prices are unaffordable and public meeting places scarce.

The march is taking place under tight security as Milan hosts world leaders, athletes and thousands of visitors for the global sport event, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: MILAN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 7, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF WOMEN PLAYING DRUMS AND DANCING AS THEY MARCH

2. BANNER READING: "FREE TREES"

3. PEOPLE MARCHING

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANTI-OLYMPICS PROTESTER, FRANCESCA OSTORI, SAYING:

"Because these Olympic Games are against nature and against people, there are (is) no money for football for children and for swimming pools for children, but there are (is) money for Olympic Games."

5. VARIOUS OF PROTESTER, MARLA PINAGHI, DEMONSTRATING

6. PEOPLE MARCHING

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANTI-OLYMPICS PROTESTER, MARLA PINAGHI, SAYING:

"In particular today is that we see all the infrastructures that have been built for the Olympic Games. And this meant investing a lot of money, including public money, into things that will be used for this event and they will never be used again."

8. BANNER READING: "ICE FOR SPORTS, NOT FOR PEOPLE"

9. BANNER READING: "The Meloni government is destroying the rule of law.”

10. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS

11. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING