Youth unrest in Europe: protesters break into Rome's Colosseum, about 100 arrested in Barcelona

Youth protests against the rising cost of living, low wages and military spending continued in several European cities on October 24. In Rome, protesters forced their way into the Colosseum, and in Barcelona about 100 people were arrested after shops were looted.

Rome: protesters enter the Colosseum, 96 taken to police headquarters

Italy's La Stampa reported that in Rome, after an authorised march under the slogan "Italy out of the war" ended, about 100 young people broke away and headed to the Colosseum. They forced the entrances and stayed inside the monument for a few minutes; there were scuffles with security staff and bottles were thrown. Il Messaggero said about 20 people got inside and that a staff member of the archaeological park was injured. The group was stopped, identified and taken to police headquarters.

In the evening, protesters near Piazza della Repubblica tried to push past police lines and threw bottles and firecrackers, and police used water cannon. According to Il Messaggero, police checked the identities of 200 people in Rome that day and took 96 to police headquarters; 28 people were held in preventive detention, six of them minors. Italian media reported further protests in Turin and Milan, and AP reported that soldiers were guarding the centre of Milan.

Barcelona: 14 shops looted, about 100 arrested

Spain's El País reported that from 18:00 on October 24, 500 to 600 young people who answered a call on social media damaged street furniture around Plaça de Catalunya and La Rambla and looted 14 shops. Catalan interior minister Núria Parlon said 33 small fires were started. More than 220 officers were deployed, and about 100 people were arrested, a quarter of them minors.

Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni said, "We will not allow what happened to go unpunished. There will be consequences, both for adults and for those responsible for the minors," and called it "gratuitous violence and vandalism" rather than a protest with any demand. Catalan president Salvador Illa wrote: "Violence has no place in Catalonia. Ever. Protesting is a democratic right. Attacking, intimidating or causing damage is not." Parlon did not rule out a copycat effect from the protests in Paris.

On X

A Mongolian user shared video from the Colosseum and wrote that the unrest was spreading to Italy, Belgium and Spain; it was one of the most widely shared posts this morning. The events in Italy and Spain have been confirmed by the outlets cited above; we could not independently verify the part about Belgium.