Italian streets were looking at France. "Everyone hates the police," chanted participants – in French – as they defied the protest ban. In a spontaneous march that brought thousands into the streets of Milan on Saturday, October 24, many were thinking not only of the slogans, but also of the images from the social movement taking shape on the other side of the Alps. Italy, in its own way, had followed a trajectory similar to that of its neighbor since October 17.

On the sidelines of a large student rally, teenagers – mostly from the suburbs – had attacked several businesses near the Duomo, Milan's emblematic cathedral, which serves as an open-air luxury shopping center. The footage triggered a flurry of calls for tougher security measures, targeting minors in particular, from a government that has stood out for a repressive legislative output unmatched since it came to power four years ago. One week later, despite helicopter surveillance and a heavy police presence, the streets did not remain empty. While Milan saw calm gatherings, clashes erupted in Turin, Bologna and Rome, marked by police violence.