Italy to send 500 more soldiers to Milan after weekend riots, Salvini says; cabinet to take up decree Tuesday

As of 3:13 p.m. ET, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026

Italy will deploy 500 more soldiers to Milan after the weekend's riots in the northern city, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said Monday, Oct. 19, ANSA reported. "From words to action! 500 more soldiers to defend Milan. A victory for the League," Salvini, who also serves as transport minister and leads the right-wing League party, said on social media, according to ANSA.

The deployment is one of the provisions of a decree-law the government is expected to approve at a cabinet meeting Tuesday, ANSA reported.

The decision was made at a summit on the unrest held Monday morning at Palazzo Chigi, the prime minister's office, and chaired by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Il Messaggero reported, citing two government sources. An extraordinary Council of Ministers will meet Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. local time (11:30 a.m. ET) to confirm the deployment, Il Messaggero reported. The new troops will join soldiers already patrolling Milan's streets under Operation Strade Sicure ("Safe Streets"), the newspaper said.

Il Messaggero reported that the decree was still being finalized and that the soldiers could be given powers comparable to those of public security officers, possibly including the power to arrest people caught in the act. The government had not released the decree's contents, and no curfew had been announced as of 3:13 p.m. ET Monday.