Italian police gain preemptive arrest powers before protests
The Italian government approved a sweeping security decree Thursday granting police authority to detain suspected troublemakers up to 12 hours before public demonstrations, a move civil liberties groups denounced as a constitutional rights violation. The cabinet acted one day before planned protests coinciding with the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's cabinet responded to violent clashes in Turin last weekend that injured over 100 officers during a rally against the Askatasuna social center closure, per the Interior Ministry. Video footage showed masked protesters kicking, punching, and hammering a policeman.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi announced the decree's approval at a Thursday evening press conference, stating police can hold individuals based on "reasonable grounds to believe they might disrupt a demonstration's orderly conduct." The measure takes effect in days, potentially impacting rallies Friday and Saturday in northern Italy against both the Olympics and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents assisting the American delegation. "With today's approved measures, we strengthen tools to prevent and combat widespread criminality," Meloni posted on X.
The decree also targets pickpockets and youth gangs, bans knife sales to minors, and expands legitimate defense protections for police and civilians facing assaults.
Opposition leader Angelo Bonelli of the Green Left Alliance called the legislation repressive, labeling preemptive detentions a "grave violation of the constitutional right to protest." He argued additional police funding would better combat crime. Piantedosi dismissed critics, noting similar provisions exist across Europe.
This builds on Italy's broader 2025 security laws criminalizing certain nonviolent protests like road blockages and unauthorized rally participation. Constitutional law experts previously warned such measures could "stifle democratic spaces" and curb expression and assembly freedoms.
Authorities brace for demonstrations at Friday's opening ceremony at Milan's San Siro Stadium, expecting 60,000 spectators and dignitaries including U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Far-left USB union organized a rally under the slogan "ICE OUT!" Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala declared ICE agents unwelcome, calling the agency "a militia that kills" after deadly immigration enforcement shootings in Minneapolis. Italian officials stressed ICE personnel will operate solely from control rooms, not street patrols. Nearly 6,000 Italian law enforcement officers secure Olympic sites, backed by drone surveillance, no-fly zones, and a 24/7 cybersecurity center, marking Italy's most complex security operation.
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