An afternoon march in Milan opposing the 2026 Winter Olympics turned confrontational Saturday night, as a portion of the crowd clashed with police near the city's Olympic Village. Thousands of demonstrators from Milan, Lombardy, and other parts of northern Italy had joined the protest, organized by a group called the Unsustainable Olympics Committee. Participants criticized the environmental impact of new Olympic infrastructure, CNN reports, and what they describe as the broader economic and social costs of the Milano-Cortina Games. Police fired tear gas and a water cannon at the protesters, who threw firecrackers, per the AP.
The march began at Piazza Medaglie d'Oro and moved past the Olympic Village, which was heavily guarded. Some protesters set off firecrackers and smoke bombs in the direction of the athletes' housing, though the buildings were too far away to be hit. Tensions escalated after the route turned onto Via Benaco and reached Piazzale Corvetto, where a smaller group launched fireworks at police, per CNN. Officers responded with charges, water cannons, and tear gas, and demonstrators later targeted police vans with more fireworks. Many protesters stayed back in the main square and did not take part in the clashes. There was no indication that the protest interfered with athletes' delivery to their events.
The coalition included grassroots sports clubs, environmental and civic groups, housing advocates, unions, pro-Palestinian organizations, and transfeminist collectives. They've also condemned what they call the Italian government's increasingly heavy-handed security policies and treatment of minorities.
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