Protests were reported in at least five cities on Monday night, with physical clashes erupting in Turin and Milan, two of Northern Italy’s largest urban centers, the latter of which has been among the hardest hit by the pandemic.
Some of the protest rallies and ensuing violence were captured in footage that circulated on social media, including an encounter in Milan that saw demonstrators hurl what appears to be a petrol bomb at an approaching police car while chanting “Liberta!” (“Freedom!”) at the officers.
Protesters also carried brightly burning flares and set off fireworks as they marched down rain-soaked streets.
Scenes from Turin showed crowds of protesters rallying amid a haze of police tear gas, some of them breaking off from a larger group to vandalize storefronts.
A Gucci store was also reportedly vandalized and looted in the city, while small fires were lit elsewhere.