Milan: Anti-Olympics Protest Near Olympic Village Ends in Clashes with Police

Milan, Italy — Italian police deployed tear gas, water cannons, and batons to disperse dozens of protesters near the Olympic Village in Milan on Saturday, as a largely peaceful demonstration against the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics turned violent at its conclusion.
The march, organized by groups including the Unsustainable Olympics Committee and various left-wing activists, drew thousands of participants who voiced opposition to the environmental impact of the Games — including deforestation for new venues, high construction costs, and alleged economic and social harm to local communities.
Protesters also strongly condemned the presence of officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, assigned to provide security support for the American delegation. Demonstrators carried signs reading “ICE out,” “Defend Minneapolis,” and compared ICE to historical authoritarian symbols, reflecting outrage over the agency’s role in U.S. immigration policies and recent controversies.
The demonstration began peacefully from Piazza Medaglie d’Oro, with participants marching past the Olympic Village — home to around 1,500 athletes — which was heavily secured by a large police cordon. As the main group dispersed in the evening, a smaller breakaway contingent reportedly threw firecrackers, smoke bombs, flares, stones, and bottles toward police lines and attempted to access a nearby highway and areas close to the Santagiulia Olympic ice hockey rink.
Riot police responded with charges, water cannons, and tear gas to push back the group. Authorities reported that several individuals were temporarily detained or arrested (reports vary between 5–7 people), though no major injuries were immediately confirmed.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violent elements of the protest and related incidents (including alleged railway sabotage elsewhere), labeling those responsible as “enemies of Italy and Italians.” Milan’s mayor and other officials have defended the Games as a showcase of Italian culture and infrastructure development.
The clashes occurred just one day after the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics officially opened with a ceremony at San Siro stadium featuring performances by artists including Andrea Bocelli and Mariah Carey. The incident highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the Games, which have faced criticism over costs, environmental damage, and the unusual deployment of foreign security personnel.
U.S. officials and Olympic organizers have stated that ICE involvement is limited, routine, and confined to diplomatic areas — not street-level operations — but the presence has fueled significant public backlash in Italy.