The streets of Milan, Italy, turned into a battleground on Saturday as thousands of protesters clashed with police, escalating public opposition to the city's hosting of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The clashes erupted when a group of demonstrators hurled fireworks and stones at police, who were equipped with riot shields and responded by using water cannons to disperse the crowds. These events highlight the deep divisions surrounding the viability and impact of this global sporting event.
Background of the event and historical context
In 2019, the joint bid from Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo won the right to host the 2026 Winter Olympics, beating out the Stockholm-Óur bid from Sweden. The Italian bid was promoted as a model for sustainable and low-cost games, relying on existing infrastructure in the Italian Alps. However, controversy surrounding the hosting of major sporting events is not new, as previous Olympic Games in cities like Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo have seen similar protests due to exorbitant costs, environmental impact, and the forced displacement of local residents.
The importance of the event and its expected impact
The significance of these protests lies in their reflection of a growing global challenge to the traditional Olympic Games model. Locally, the demonstrations reveal residents' discontent with the transformation of their city into what one organizer, Alberto De Monte, described as a "tourist amusement park" that neglects its inhabitants. Protesters complain that billions of dollars have been spent on building new roads instead of protecting the fragile mountain environment, exacerbating the housing crisis and the rising cost of living in Milan, Italy's financial capital.
On both regional and international levels, these events are putting pressure on the International Olympic Committee to reassess its sustainability policies. Activists are strongly criticizing the Games' environmental impact, particularly the felling of hundreds of trees to create a ski slope and the heavy reliance on artificial snow, which consumes enormous amounts of water and energy, at a time when the Alps are facing serious climate challenges. "The Games are no longer environmentally or socially sustainable," said protester Francesca Misana, 29. "Their time is over.".
The protesters held up signs summarizing their demands, such as “Let’s reclaim the city, let’s liberate the mountains!” and another bearing a picture of a water droplet with the words “The Olympics are drying me out,” in a clear reference to the deep environmental concerns that accompany preparations for this global event.
