Violence broke out on Saturday as thousands of leftist protesters took to the streets of Milan to demonstrate on the sidelines of the Winter Olympics.
With the eyes of the world’s media descending upon the Italian financial hub as it co-hosts the XXV Winter Olympic Games, various left-wing activist groups organised in Milan to promote their disparate agendas.
According to a report from Milan’s leading newspaper, Corriere della Sera, around 5,000 people took to the streets on Saturday, including environmental, trade union, pro-LGBT, and pro-Palestinian groups.
The Milanese daily reported that in response to the exclusion of biologically male transgender athletes from the games, protesters wearing pink balaclavas unfurled a banner reading: “Binary is for trains. Go trans athletes”.
Demonstrators clash with police during a protest against the environmental, economic and social impact of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Games, in Milan on February 7, 2026. (Photo by PIERO CRUCIATTI / AFP via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, climate radicals holding mock trees protested against the “unsustainable” use of wood to construct the bobsleigh track in the Olympic co-hosting town of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Not to be ignored, a large cohort of pro-Palestine protesters also joined the demo over the recent arrest of Mohammad Hannoun, the president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, for allegedly raising money for the Islamist Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
Others also protested the alleged presence of American Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers at the games, with a banner reading: “ICE out of Milan”.
This comes despite U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Chief Security Officer Nicole Deal “unequivocally” denying that ICE agents were a part of the American delegation earlier this week, according to USA Today.
Fireworks explode next to a police truck spraying water to demonstrators during a protest against the environmental, economic and social impact of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics Games, in Milan on February 7, 2026. (Photo by PIERO CRUCIATTI / AFP via Getty Images)
As the convergent demonstrations drew on into the evening, clashes began to break out with police, with leftists being seen throwing rocks, bottles, and shooting fireworks at officers.
In turn, police were forced to push back protesters with water cannons and tear gas. According to Corriere della Sera, at least six people have been arrested as of this reporting.
It follows a major scandal in Italy last week, in which far-left Antifa militants were filmed brutally beating a police officer at a demonstration in Turin.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said: “Just a few days after the shameful violence in Turin, more clashes, more attacks on the Police Forces. These are not protesters: they are criminals! And they must know that whoever touches a uniform, offends all Italians. Proud to have wanted a new Security package that will allow even more effective interventions against thugs and delinquents.”