Police clash with protesters in Rome as demonstrations spread across Italy

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - ROME — Italian police clashed with anti-government protesters in Rome on Saturday, using water cannons and batons after demonstrators attempted to march toward Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office amid nationwide protests over rising living costs and government policies.

The clashes erupted near Santa Susanna Square after police blocked demonstrators from advancing toward the prime minister's office following hours of protests across the Italian capital.

Some protesters threw bottles, explosive devices and fireworks at security forces as negotiations over access to the area broke down.

Police responded with water cannons and, in some locations, batons to disperse the demonstrators.

Tensions briefly eased before officers deployed water cannons again after protesters resumed throwing explosive devices.

At least one demonstrator was seen bleeding from a head injury after being struck by an object.

The protesters eventually changed their route and left the area after police refused to allow them to proceed.

The confrontation followed a series of demonstrations organized by different political groups throughout Saturday.

In the morning, far-right groups staged protests in response to the unrest that accompanied demonstrations in Milan the previous weekend.

Later, left-wing groups and students marched through Rome under slogans opposing "war and imperialism."

Although the main march ended peacefully, groups of young demonstrators subsequently confronted police near the Colosseum.

The confrontation did not escalate after the students changed their route, but an unauthorized march continued through streets surrounding the historic landmark.

Some demonstrators entered the Colosseum and chanted slogans before continuing their protest elsewhere in the city center.

Italian media reported that security forces had detained 28 people early Saturday as a preventive measure ahead of the demonstrations.

Protests against the government and rising living costs also took place in Naples, Bologna, Turin and Milan.

Scuffles between demonstrators and police were reported in Bologna and Turin, although the unrest did not escalate into widespread violence.

Authorities had reinforced security across several major cities following violent demonstrations in Milan last weekend.

In Milan, 500 soldiers were deployed to the city center, while businesses installed wooden panels over shop windows to protect their premises from possible damage.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised law enforcement officers for maintaining public security while protecting the right to peaceful demonstrations.

"I would like to thank the law enforcement officers who are working to ensure the safety of citizens and the right to peaceful protest, despite some violent groups trying to provoke clashes and disorder in Italy's squares today as well," Meloni wrote on X.