The Expo, opening Friday as a means of showcasing Italian food, culture and technology to the world, was accompanied by over 30,000 protesters in the streets of Milan. Expo opponents, among them anti-austerity activists, environmentalists and anti-globalists, see the event as a showcase of waste and corruption.
The protests took a nasty turn as stone-throwing masked protesters separate from the main group began smashing windows, torching trash bins and setting fire to several parked cars.
Dozens of cars burned down during #NoExpo protest in #Milan http://t.co/VtAcP8mPkq pic.twitter.com/llsGTqtPJT
— RT (@RT_com) 1 мая 2015
With thousands of police already deployed in the lead up to the event, riot police responded by firing tear gas into the crowd, while using water cannons to put out fires.
BREAKING: #Milan protest escalates, police throw tear gas canisters http://t.co/VtAcP8mPkq pic.twitter.com/vr2WsEHhtD
— RT (@RT_com) 1 мая 2015
Cool car. Enough to be set on fire.Freedom of speech, including protest, is a right. THIS is not. #Milan #noexpo2015 pic.twitter.com/RZSjLFhG3J
— Silvia Merler (@SMerler) 1 мая 2015
Anti-Expo campaigners have been bolstered by Italy's dragging recession and catastrophic youth unemployment rate of over 40 percent. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi stated that the Expo could assist in the country's economic recovery, serving as a test for Italy's economic future. But the opening of the Expo itself has been marred by organizational and corruption issues, with the protests and violence looking only to worsen the event's fragile reputation.
che ti lamenti / ma che ti lamenti / poggia lu bastone e tira fora li denti! #noexpo @NoExpo2015 pic.twitter.com/7YVcHYbZcQ
— TeatroValle Occupato (@valleoccupato) 1 мая 2015