Italy’s Meloni approves tougher measures to crack down on protests after Milan riots– abcnews.com

MILAN — Italy announced new security measures on Tuesday aimed at tackling the kind of violent protests that caused damage to Milan ‘s central shopping district when weekend rioters, many of them minors, looted stores and set fire to property.

A government decree calls for the deployment of an additional 500 soldiers to Milan through the end of the year, requiring parents to pay for damage caused by minors and making it easier to prosecute minors over 14.

In a video posted on social media, Premier Giorgia Meloni said the presence of so many young rioters was “painful and frightening.”

“Young people … came to the square to smash things, steal and film themselves doing it,” Meloni said. “This is a phenomenon that we must address seriously, also to prevent those images from becoming a model for others to imitate.”

The decree also creates a new criminal offense of violent participation in a demonstration, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 20,000 euros ($22,500). Penalties increase if offenders cover their faces or someone is injured.

Protesters will be responsible for paying for property damage, with parents liable for damage caused by minors, Meloni said.

The decree, which must be converted to law by parliament within 60 days, also automatically presumes that anyone over age 14 is capable of understanding their own actions, unless proven otherwise. That until now was up to a judge to determine.