Protesters took to the streets in Milan, Turin and several other Italian cities on Monday in anger over the latest COVID-19 restrictions, which have shuttered cinemas, gyms and other leisure venues and have forced cafes and restaurants to close early.
The protests, at times, turned violent as some people smashed storefront windows, looted shops, set fires and hurled objects at police, who used tear gas to clear the tumultuous crowds.
A number of people were detained overnight in connection to the violence and vandalism in various cities and towns. More than two dozen people were reportedly arrested in Milan alone.
Italy, once the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, has seen an increase in infections in recent weeks. Over the weekend, the country’s civil protection agency confirmed a record 21,273 new cases of COVID-19. As of Monday night, the cumulative total was 542,789 cases with 37,479 deaths.
