‘Violent thugs’ will not ruin Milan Expo, says government

A senior Italian politician has vowed that "a couple of hundred violent thugs" would not ruin the Milan Expo, a global fair the government had hoped would help to put a new face on Italy after years of economic decline.

Italian arts minister Dario Franceschini was reacting to clashes between police and demonstrators on Friday as protests overshadowed the start of the Expo Milano 2015.

Even as the minister was speaking on Saturday, city workers were cleaning after approximately 500 “anarchists” from a larger group of around 20,000 protesters smashed shop and bank windows, burned 14 cars and threw hundreds of petrol bombs and other incendiary devices at police.

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The Pavillions section of Expo 2015 at Fiera Milano Rho. Photograph: Getty

Ten people, all Italian nationals, were arrested in the wake of the riots which lasted for little over an hour and which took place in central Milan, some 15 kilometres south of the Expo site.

The violence lasted for approximately one hour and 11 policemen were injured.

Water cannons were used to put out fires, including one at a bank branch where the wall had been spray-painted with the words: “You’ve skinned us, today you pay.”

Riot police restricted their response to the use of tear gas and a water canon and did not physically confront the protesters.

The protest contained people from Spain, France, Germany and Greece as well as Italy.

It became violent when it split with approximately 500 people detaching themselves from the back of the march.

Shielding behind a lorry which formed part of the protest, this group, many of whom were dressed in black overalls and carrying rucksacks, put on helmets, pulled out hammers and heavy sticks and set about smashing whatever they could, as well as setting fire to dustbins.

Accompanied by a banner reading, “Smash Capitalism”, others in the group then bombarded the police with a variety of petrol bombs.

Spraying “No Expo” on walls and windows, the protesters appeared to single out luxury cars, such as BMWs, Mercedes and Audis to be burned.

At one point there appeared to be disagreements between the protesters with some people wanting to put a stop to the burning of the cars.

There was evidence the violence had been carefully planned. After approximately one hour most of those involved in the violence discarded their black overalls, dropped their hammers and sticks and rejoined the main march.

The heavy police presence helped contain the violence within a limited area which by Saturday morning had been largely cleared of debris.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella said last night: "We utterly condemn this hooligan violence...all the more unacceptable since it has been targeted against an event which is focussed on how to feed the planet, how to fight hunger and how to create a world order based on a greater equality between rich and developing countries".

The glitzy opening ceremony at the Expo site had a bittersweet start to a six-month event Italy hopes will bolster its international standing and give a boost to the struggling economy.

For much of the last year the Expo preparations have been delayed by political infighting, contract corruption and the infiltration of organised crime.

Entitled “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”, the Expo is intended to analyze issues such as food security, food distribution and healthy nutrition are clearly the issues of our time.

Ireland is among the 145 countries taking part in Expo which runs to October 31st.

More than 30,000 people are expected to visit the Irish pavilion every day, whilst President Michael D Higgins will attend the event on Bloomsday, June 16th for an Irish national day.