Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni introduces tougher protest laws, including teen detentions, parental liability for damage and up to five years in jail for rioters
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has approved tougher security measures targeting protest-related violence, including prison terms of up to five years, fines of up to €20,000 and financial liability for parents whose children engage in vandalism or looting. Under the new rules, people participating in groups of at least five who endanger public safety during demonstrations can face up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of €20,000 ($22,460). The decree further allows police to detain young people aged 14 to 17, even if they have not committed a crime, if there is evidence they pose a danger. The government has also announced the deployment of 500 army troops alongside police in Milan until the end of 2026.
Vandalism and theft are not protest, they are criminality,” Meloni said on social media while announcing the measures. The troops will help secure key sites, monitor sensitive locations and strengthen surveillance, the defence ministry said. Penalties can increase if protesters conceal their faces or injure others. Authorities can also order compensation for damage caused during unrest, with parents held financially liable when their minor children are responsible.
Previously, this power applied only to adults. The measures, which took effect immediately on Tuesday, follow weekend unrest in northern Italian cities, including Milan, where groups of mainly young people smashed windows, looted shops and attacked police.