Police on Thursday enforced an eviction order against Milan’s historic Leoncavallo squat, a counter-cultural hub tied to leftist and anarchist movements.
The order had been postponed several times, but officers moved in to clear the premises, one of many similar “social centres” found in Italy’s largest cities.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed the action. “In a constitutional state, there cannot be free zones or areas removed from legality,” she wrote on social media.
“Illegal occupations are a threat to security, to citizens, and to communities that respect the rules. The government will continue to ensure that the law is respected, always and everywhere.”
Deputy Prime Minister and League leader Matteo Salvini, a long-time opponent of such squats, also praised the move. “Finally, things have changed. The law is the same for everyone: get out,” he said.
Milan’s centre-left mayor, Giuseppe Sala, criticised the lack of communication. He said the city council had not been informed in advance of the operation. “Leoncavallo has a historic and social value for our city,” he noted, adding that the council should have been notified about “such a delicate operation.”
Eviction follows compensation ruling against Interior Ministry
The leoncavallo squat eviction followed a ruling by the Milan Court of Appeal, which ordered the Interior Ministry to pay three million euros in damages to landlord Orologio for its failure to act in previous years. The ministry then sought compensation from Marina Boer, president of the Mamme del Leoncavallo association. The group said it had 30 days to consider an appeal.
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani also defended the operation. “Occupying someone else’s space is illegal. It means violating property rights and the freedom of others,” he said. He stressed that there was “no difference between left-wing or right-wing occupations, both constitute a crime.”
Critics have accused the government of double standards for failing to act against the neo-Fascist CasaPound headquarters squat in Rome. Tajani rejected the suggestion, calling the Milan eviction a matter of justice rather than politics.
