Protests erupt in Milan amid Winter Olympics opening
Thousands of demonstrators took to Milan’s streets on Saturday, igniting fireworks and flares to voice opposition to rising housing costs and environmental destruction during the opening full day of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, reports BritPanorama.
The procession was organised by grassroots trade unions, housing advocacy groups, and social centre activists who highlighted what they described as an unsustainable urban development model in Milan.
Participants raised concerns about rising rents, increasing inequality, and the ecological repercussions of the construction projects linked to the Games. A prominent banner proclaimed: “Let’s take back the cities, let’s free the mountains.”
Approximately 50 protesters led the march, carrying stylised cardboard trees as a tribute to the larches they claimed have been cut down to construct a new bobsleigh run in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Another banner featured a pointed message: “Century-old trees, survivors of two wars sacrificed for 90 seconds of competition on a bobsleigh track costing 124 million euros.”
Demonstrators argued that the Winter Games represented a wasteful allocation of public money and resources. They particularly targeted Olympic-linked infrastructure developments, claiming these initiatives have caused significant environmental damage to the mountain communities hosting the events.
Stefano Nutini, a 71-year-old protester, stood beneath a Communist Refoundation Party flag and explained his presence. “I’m here because these Olympics are unsustainable economically, socially, and environmentally,” he said. Nutini emphasised that the Olympic construction projects had imposed a heavy burden on alpine towns involved in hosting what he termed the first extensively dispersed edition of the Winter Games.
This geographic spread of venues across multiple mountain communities has amplified concerns about the cumulative impact on local populations and landscapes. Critics assert that this decentralised approach has increased rather than alleviated the strain on participating regions.
Milan has been grappling with the consequences of a prolonged property boom initiated by the 2015 World Expo, which has pushed living costs beyond the reach of many residents. Activists claim this situation has been worsened by initiatives targeting affluent newcomers and broader socio-economic shifts, including Brexit, which have drawn professionals to the city.
The International Olympic Committee has defended the Games’ environmental credentials, asserting that most events are being held at existing venues, a strategy it argues supports sustainability. The protests underscored the stark divide between those who regard the Olympics as an opportunity to showcase Italy and those who warn of the long-term social and ecological fallout.
The Games will run from February 6 to February 22.
