European governments fear Russia may be stoking the violent protests that have erupted in major cities in recent weeks. Demonstrations over rising fuel costs, declining public services, the state of schools and the housing crisis have swept across France, Italy and Albania. Some of the protests have been marred by scenes of violence, looting and clashes resulting in injuries.
More than 500,000 people took to the streets during demonstrations across France on October 17. At least 2,500 people have been arrested in the country since the protests began. Authorities are now investigating whether foreign interference and online disinformation may have helped fuel the unrest, amid growing concerns about the scale of the violence and the apparent coordination of some demonstrations.
Government Investigations and Expert Views
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has requested a briefing on whether foreign actors played a role in inciting protests that broke out in northern Italian cities over the weekend, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. The French government has also asked intelligence agencies to investigate the possibility, according to the Financial Times.
Experts told the FT that pro-Russian and far-right social media accounts linked to previous disinformation campaigns have helped spread videos of the unrest. David Colon, researcher at Sciences Po who specialises in disinformation, told the newspaper that "pro-Kremlin influencers" linked to the Russian campaign Storm-1516 have "amplified the events and spread a number of false narratives". But he stressed that they "are not at the origin of the demonstration" and have not impacted "the course of the events".
Italian Response and Hybrid Warfare Claims
In Milan, groups made up largely of young people clashed with police, smashed windows and looted shops over the weekend. "The events in Milan and elsewhere in Italy are fundamentally different from those seen in other periods," Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said at an event in Rome on Tuesday. "They are the product of what I call 'hybrid warfare', which someone is bringing into our countries with unconventional tools that are called TikTok, social media and YouTube, without the West realising or reacting."
Crosetto said children as young as 11 or 12 who had taken part in the protests had been exposed to a form of "counter-education from somewhere - not from their families or schools". He did not provide further details. On Tuesday, the Italian government announced tougher penalties for rioters, including a new offence of violent participation in a demonstration, and financial liability for parents whose children take part in vandalism and looting.
Upcoming Demonstrations and Security Measures
With further demonstrations planned in Milan on Saturday, the government said it would deploy 500 army troops alongside police in the city until the end of 2026. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that only authorised union protests will be allowed in demonstrations on Saturday.
