Cost-of-living protests spread from Spain and France to Italy and Portugal
Protests over housing and living costs that have shaken Spain and France in recent weeks reached Milan and Lisbon on Saturday. Italy saw clashes with police, while a tent camp was set up in Portugal's capital.
Unrest over rising living costs and the housing crisis reached Italy and Portugal on Saturday, 18 October, after similar anger had erupted in Spain and France in recent weeks.
Milan: clashes with police
In the northern Italian city of Milan, a march against the cost of living began peacefully but ended in disorder. Masked participants threw stones, paving blocks and other objects at riot police and set fire to barricades built from bar tables. Police used water cannon and teargas. At least two officers were hurt and about 50 demonstrators, many of them minors, were detained, the LaPresse news agency reported. A carabinieri car was badly damaged.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said demonstrating is a right, but "setting our cities ablaze is not", and blamed hooligans for exploiting the protests. Milan's centre-left mayor, Giuseppe Sala, said the reasons for the protests were understandable, but violence against law enforcement and serious damage to the city could not be justified.
Lisbon: tent camp
In the Portuguese capital, hundreds of protesters gathered at Rossio square after a march that drew thousands nationwide, setting up a tent camp similar to the one created in Madrid three weeks ago. They are demanding action on housing and living costs. The march was called by the main CGTP union, and demonstrators also called for better public services, pensions and wages.
Official data show Portuguese housing prices rose 124% between 2015 and 2024, roughly twice as fast as the EU average. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said his government understands people's outrage, but warned rivals against importing instability into Portugal.
Elsewhere in Europe
In Albania, where violent protests against Prime Minister Edi Rama continued this week, police fired rubber bullets on demonstrators for the first time. In France, more than 1,200 people were arrested on Saturday. In Spain, the protests were triggered by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her flat, and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a snap general election for the end of November.
