Six people have been arrested after police clashed with protesters in Milan, one of the hosts of the Winter Olympic Games, during the first day of the competition.
Thousands took to the streets of the city in northern Italy on Saturday to protest against the Games and a range of issues including the cost of living. Some released fireworks and threw stones at police, who responded with water cannon.
It comes after the government tightened protest laws in the wake of a demonstration last weekend in Turin that left more than 100 officers injured, according to government figures.
Meanwhile, officials are investigating suspected sabotage on northern Italy's railway network on Saturday.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said those protesting against the Olympics were the enemy of Italy and they had put images of the demonstrations on the televisions of half the world while thousands of other Italians were working hard to make the competition a success.
She said this had happened after others locked railway cables to prevent trains from starting.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini described those involved in confrontations in Milan as criminals. Just days after the shameful violence in Turin, more clashes, more attacks on law enforcement, he said.
The Turin demonstration, called in response to the eviction of an unofficial social centre, started peacefully but later turned violent when armed groups confronted police, leading to more than 30 arrests, one officer being attacked with a hammer, which Meloni described as attempted murder.
A new security package, fast-tracked due to the violence, allows police to detain suspected troublemakers for up to 12 hours before demonstrations to stop them from spreading unrest.
Critics have labeled the measures as repressive.
Most people involved in Saturday's protest in Milan marched peacefully. One woman, referred to as Francesca Missana, expressed to AFP that the Olympic Games were no longer sustainable from an environmental or a social point of view, their time is up.
Protest organiser Alberto di Monte criticized the spending on infrastructure for the Games, stating that billions spent on roads should have gone towards environmental protection.
In addition to the protests, chaos affected the northern rail networks. Authorities reported fires and severed cables along tracks, with explosive devices discovered by police. The transport ministry has termed these incidents as suspected sabotage, reminiscent of challenges faced during the early stages of the upcoming Paris Olympics.
The Winter Olympics are being held at multiple locations, including Milan and the resort town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, until February 22.
