Milan Sees Major Demonstration Against US ICE Agents at Winter Olympics
Hundreds of demonstrators assembled in Milan on Saturday to voice strong opposition to the deployment of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for security at the upcoming Winter Olympics. The protest took place in Piazza XXV Aprile, a square symbolically named for Italy's liberation from Nazi fascism in 1945, drawing participants from across the political spectrum.
Broad Coalition of Protesters Gathers
The demonstration attracted a diverse crowd including members of the left-leaning Democratic Party, the CGIL trade union confederation, and ANPI organizations dedicated to preserving the memory of Italy's partisan resistance during World War II. Organizers distributed plastic whistles to participants, who blew them energetically as music played loudly from a nearby van.
Notably, protesters remained undeterred by official clarifications that the ICE agents would be stationed in a control room rather than operating on Milan's streets. The demonstration represented a dual protest: both against the specific news of ICE involvement in Olympics security and against what many participants described as creeping fascism in the United States.
Symbolic Banners and Strong Sentiments
Protesters carried banners expressing their concerns in vivid terms. One read: 'No thank you, from Minnesota to the world, at the side of anyone who fights for human rights.' Another declared: 'Never again means never again for anyone,' while a third offered the pointed message: 'Ice only in Spritz,' referencing the popular Italian aperitif.
Protester Silvana Grassi held a sign equating ICE with the Gestapo, telling reporters that scenes of ICE agents in Minneapolis shooting protesters and detaining children had deeply disturbed her. 'It makes me want to cry to think of it,' Grassi said. 'It's too terrible. How did they elect such a terrible, evil man?'
Political Backlash and Official Responses
The planned deployment has sparked significant political controversy in Italy. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala has publicly stated that the ICE agents are not welcome in the city, while Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi has been summoned to Parliament to testify about the arrangement this week.
It's important to note that the ICE agents scheduled for deployment belong to Homeland Security Investigations, a unit focusing on cross-border crimes that frequently assists with security at international events. They are not from the Enforcement and Removal Operations division responsible for immigration crackdowns in US cities like Minnesota.
Protesters Remain Unconvinced by Distinctions
Despite these distinctions, protesters maintained their opposition. Paolo Bortoletto, another demonstrator holding a banner, acknowledged the agents would have an investigative rather than street role but insisted: 'We don't want them in our country. We are a peaceful country. We don't want fascists. It's their ideas that bother us.'
Silvana Grassi echoed this sentiment, stating plainly: 'Even if it's not the same ones, we don't want them here.'
Olympics Security and High-Profile Attendance
The Winter Olympics are scheduled to begin on February 6 with an opening ceremony expected to be attended by US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The security arrangements, particularly the involvement of US agencies, continue to generate debate and protest in the host nation.
This demonstration highlights how international security cooperation can become entangled with domestic political concerns and historical sensitivities, particularly when involving agencies with controversial reputations abroad.
