Back
Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Italian officials were alerted by the brutality of the attacks and signs of coordination among some actions. This prompted them to verify whether the events were merely spontaneous expressions of anger.
The Italian government is conducting checks into possible Russian involvement in organizing violent protests in Milan and other European cities. Information is being studied about a potential role for foreign provocateurs, Bloomberg News Agency reported on Wednesday, 21 October.
It is noted that the trigger was the signs of coordination of certain attacks during demonstrations.
Protests against the high cost of living in Paris, Milan, and other European cities last weekend escalated to violence. Demonstrations were accompanied by looting and arson. Italian officials were alarmed by the brutality of the attacks and signs of coordination of some actions. This forced them to check whether the events were merely spontaneous expressions of anger.
"The events in Milan and other Italian cities are fundamentally different from what we have seen before. They are the result of what I call a ‘hybrid war.’ Someone is waging it in our countries using non-traditional tools - TikTok, social networks, and YouTube. The West is not aware of it and does not respond," Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said during an event in Rome on Tuesday, 20 October.
According to Crosetto, among the protesters there were even children aged 11–12 years. In his view, they apparently experienced the influence of a kind of "counter-education." The minister did not provide details of this claim. The Meloni cabinet, meanwhile, announced measures to prevent new violence.
Authorities fear a recurrence of unrest during demonstrations scheduled for the coming weekend. In Milan, where protests were especially violent, it is planned to deploy 500 military personnel. They are to remain there until the end of 2026 year.
Critics of the conservative coalition of Meloni accused the government of using unrest for political gain ahead of next year’s elections. At the same time, according to them, the cabinet is not addressing deep economic and social problems.
As a reminder, a wave of protests has recently swept through several European countries. In Belgium, 17 October, protests occurred that escalated into clashes with police and were accompanied by arson and property damage. Among the participants of the Saturday action were many minors, including children up to 12 years old. On the same day across France, from 550 000 to 800 000, people took to the streets to demonstrate against the high cost of living. However, in several cities, protests were accompanied by violence, looting, and vandalism.
A massive wave. Why Europeans are protesting
News from Korrespondent.net on Telegram and WhatsApp. Subscribe to our channels https://t.me/korrespondentnet and WhatsApp
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "В Італії перевіряють можливу причетність РФ до протестів в Європі". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Korrespondent.net.
