Six people have been arrested after police clashed with protesters in Milan, one of the hosts of the Winter Olympic Games, during the first day of the competition.
Thousands took to the streets of the city in northern Italy on Saturday to protest against the Games and a range of issues including the cost of living. Some released fireworks and threw stones at police, who responded with water cannon.
This comes after the government tightened protest laws in the wake of a demonstration last weekend in Turin that left more than 100 officers injured, according to government figures.
Officials are investigating suspected sabotage on northern Italy's railway network on Saturday.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said those protesting against the Olympics were the enemy of Italy and they had put images of the demonstrations on the televisions of half the world while thousands of other Italians were working hard to make the competition a success. She added that this had happened after others locked railway cables to prevent trains from starting.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini described those involved in confrontations in Milan as criminals and emphasized calls for a new security package to tackle unrest.
Despite clashes, many protesters voiced their discontent peacefully. Francesca Missana, a participant, expressed that the Olympic Games were no longer sustainable from an environmental or social point of view, their time is up.
Alberto di Monte, a protest organizer, argued that the perception of the Games being sustainable and cost-neutral was misleading, highlighting the significant spending on infrastructure at the expense of environmental conservation.
The Winter Olympics will continue until February 22, spanning multiple locations beyond Milan, including Cortina d'Ampezzo and several Alpine resorts.
