Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held a cabinet meeting on Tuesday (October 20) to approve new security measures, also targeting minors, after days of unrest marked by clashes with police, looting and vandalism.

The package introduces a new offence of "violent participation in a demonstration", tougher penalties for rioters and immediate financial liability for parents whose children take part in vandalism and looting.

The government also announced the deployment of 500 additional army troops in Milan to work alongside police forces and tighten security in the city through the end of the year.

The measures come after hundreds of hooded protesters, many believed to be minors, set bins ablaze and looted shops in Milan and other cities over the weekend, after initially peaceful demonstrations over poor public services and rising costs.

"Young people took to the streets to smash things, steal and film themselves doing it. It is a phenomenon that we must address seriously, also to prevent those images from becoming a model for others to imitate," the prime minister said.

Meloni has passed a steady stream of security crackdowns since taking office in 2022, which critics say do little to address the underlying causes of crime and disorder.

In recent days, hauliers have also been protesting over soaring fuel and transport costs, leading to shortages of basic goods in some shops and long queues at petrol stations in southern Italy.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

ROME, ITALY (OCTOBER 20, 2026) (ITALIAN PRIME MINISTRY - Access all)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, GIORGIA MELONI, SAYING:

"Shops looted, windows smashed, law enforcement officers attacked: these are unacceptable scenes that no one should think of downplaying or justifying. That is why today the Cabinet approved a decree containing new measures to prevent and combat this violence. These are in addition to those adopted in recent months, starting with biometric identification, including through artificial intelligence, to put a name to those hiding behind a hood."

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, GIORGIA MELONI, SAYING:

"A new criminal offence is being introduced: violent participation in a demonstration. In practical terms, if during a march or protest you join a group of five or more people and start throwing stones, fireworks or sticks, putting public safety at risk, you could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 20,000 euros. If your face was covered or if you injured someone, the penalty increases, and penalties also increase for those who take part in group acts of destruction."

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, GIORGIA MELONI, SAYING:

"We are applying a simple principle: those who break things pay. And if the person who breaks is a minor, their parents pay. Here's how it works: if the damage is done to public property, such as a bus shelter, a traffic light or a police van, the prefect will send a payment order directly to the home. If the damage is done to private property, such as a shop window, a shop or a car, the owner can go to court and obtain an immediately enforceable payment order. Of course, it will be possible to challenge it, but in the meantime the parents of that young person who thought it was fun to smash everything up will have to pay."

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, GIORGIA MELONI, SAYING:

"And preventive detention, which until now applied only to adults, will also be extended to minors. Fourth (point): Milan will receive 500 additional military personnel until the end of the year, working alongside the police and the Carabinieri, and we are strengthening the juvenile justice system with more magistrates and more places in detention facilities, so that the certainty of punishment also applies to 16-year-olds."

8. WHITE FLASH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, GIORGIA MELONI, SAYING:

"Nearly 200 injured officers, and damage amounting to around one million euros in Milan alone, according to Confcommercio. Who was present in those squares? The usual hardline groups, the ones that seek confrontation at every protest. But alongside them, this time, there was something new: hundreds of very young people, many of them minors, arriving in small groups, called together by a video on social media. Young people who took to the streets to smash things, steal and film themselves doing it. It is a phenomenon that we must address seriously, also to prevent those images from becoming a model for others to imitate."

10. WHITE FLASH

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, GIORGIA MELONI, SAYING:

"And I want to draw an equally clear distinction between those who commit acts of violence and those who protest peacefully to demand answers. I am thinking of farmers, truck drivers, former Ilva workers and the many communities going through difficult times. With them, the government engages in dialogue and works to find solutions. Today, Minister (of Transport Matteo) Salvini met representatives of the road haulage sector to address the difficulties facing the industry and identify further responses. Because the same state that says no to violence is the state that listens to those who protest while respecting others."