Italian students took to the streets across the country on Friday in a nationwide protest against the government’s education policies, inadequate school funding, deteriorating facilities and spending priorities, with tensions escalating in Turin following days of school occupations and clashes.
The demonstrations, promoted under the slogan “No Meloni Day” in some cities, brought students into the streets of Turin, Rome, Genoa, Venice, Padua, Treviso and other cities. Protesters called for greater investment in schools and opposed what they described as excessive government spending on military priorities.
In Turin, the protests followed several days of occupations and disruptions at schools. Italian authorities said dozens of schools had been occupied or targeted in recent days, while officials warned that people from outside the school community could be attempting to exploit the protests.
Tensions were particularly high in Turin, where masked youths were involved in incidents at several schools, including the Sella institute and Bosso-Monti school. Windows were smashed, fire extinguishers were emptied and computers and other school property were damaged, according to Italian media reports.
A 17-year-old was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of resisting a public official and was reported for aggravated damage. A Carabinieri officer was injured after stones were thrown during the incidents, while a teacher and a school staff member also suffered minor injuries while attempting to stop an occupation.
On Friday, several hundred students marched through central Turin, chanting slogans including “Money for schools, not for war” and calling for changes to government policies. Authorities imposed additional security measures around the demonstrations, including restrictions on masks and objects that could be used to conceal identities or cause injuries.
The protests have been driven by concerns over education funding, school infrastructure, living costs and what students see as misplaced government spending priorities. The movement has also drawn inspiration from recent student protests in France, where demonstrations over school conditions and education funding have grown into a wider youth movement.
Turin Mayor Stefano Lo Russo defended students’ right to protest while condemning violence and damage to public property. Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara also denounced the destruction and said those responsible should be held accountable for the costs.
The Italian protests come amid a broader wave of student mobilization across Europe, with young people in several countries raising concerns over education funding, teacher shortages, deteriorating school buildings, rising costs and government spending priorities.
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While Italian authorities have distinguished between peaceful student demonstrations and acts of vandalism, the escalation in Turin has raised concerns that confrontations could overshadow the protesters’ demands for better-funded and better-maintained schools.
