Following incidents during demonstrations held against the cost of living in Italy, the government has adopted a decree containing new security measures. The regulation, announced after violent events in several cities, particularly Milan, provides for the detention of minors aged 14-18 and the collection of damages from their families.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the details of the decree on her social media account. Stating that the images of looting and attacks on security forces coming from Milan were "unacceptable," Meloni said, "There is nothing revolutionary about destroying and stealing. Destroying and stealing is not a protest, it is a crime. The state's response to this must be decisive."
WHAT IS IN THE DECREE?
With the new regulation, "resorting to violence at a demonstration" is defined as a separate crime. Accordingly, those who endanger public safety by throwing objects such as stones, firecrackers, or sticks as part of a group of five or more people during a march or protest could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 20,000 euros.
The penalty is planned to be increased if the person committing the crime hides their face with a mask or similar tools, or if the act leads to injury. The cost of damage caused to public or private property during demonstrations can be collected from the person who committed the crime, or from their parents if the person is a minor.
The regulation previously prepared by the government, which aims to change the principle of criminal liability for children aged 14-18, also enters into force immediately with the decree. In the previous practice, the state had to prove in every file that a child over the age of 14 could understand the meaning and consequences of their actions. With the new regulation, it will be assumed that children over 14 have this ability unless proven otherwise.
500 ADDITIONAL SOLDIERS TO MILAN
Meloni stated that the youngest of those stopped and taken to the police station in Milan last weekend was 11 years old. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi also stated that 80 percent of those detained were minors, noting that this was an unprecedented situation.
The Prime Minister also announced that artificial intelligence tools would be used to identify those who hide their faces with masks or hoods. In addition, 500 soldiers will be deployed to Milan to support the police and gendarmerie. The soldiers are planned to support law enforcement in the city until the end of the year.
In Italy, approximately 6,000 soldiers are currently serving in the protection of sensitive points such as state institutions and religious structures as part of the "Safe Streets" operation. Together with the 800 additional soldiers assigned to train stations, the new units to be sent to Milan will increase the number of soldiers serving for public safety to 7,300.
On the other hand, some groups organizing the demonstrations via social media are calling for new actions. In an account opened under the name "October 17 Movement," it was requested that anti-government protests be held every Saturday in major cities such as Rome, Milan, and Bologna.
In the messages it published, the group defined itself with the words, "We have no president, no secretary, no spokesperson to be invited to television, no headquarters to be raided, or a membership card to sell. We are young people who have decided to stop waiting."
One of the representatives of the social media account linked to the demonstrations held under the slogan "Italy in the Square" also told the Italian news agency Agi that they were considering returning to the squares at the end of October. Louis, a 21-year-old university student, stated that they did not support violent acts and that this "harms the message of peaceful struggle."
News Source: 12punto
