Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Milan on Saturday to protest the planned presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during the Winter Olympics.
The protest took place in Piazza XXV Aprile, named after Italy’s liberation from Nazi fascism in 1945. The location carried clear symbolic weight for organisers and participants. Those attending included members of the Democratic Party, the CGIL trade union confederation and ANPI groups. ANPI works to preserve the memory of Italy’s partisan resistance during the Second World War. Many unaffiliated demonstrators also joined the rally.
Organisers distributed plastic whistles, blown repeatedly as music played from a van. Protesters opposed both the involvement of ICE in Olympic security and what they described as rising authoritarianism in the United States.
Several banners, reported by abc News, reflected these concerns. One read, “Never again means never again for anyone.” Another stated, “Ice only in Spritz,” referencing the popular aperitif. A third banner linked human rights struggles in the US to global resistance movements.
ICE will be present at Olympics
Italian authorities have confirmed that ICE agents would remain in a control room. They would not carry out street operations in Milan. Despite this, opposition to their presence has intensified.
The agents involved belong to Homeland Security Investigations, an ICE unit focused on cross-border crime. This division often supports security operations at major international events, including the Olympics. They are not part of Enforcement and Removal Operations, the ICE branch responsible for immigration raids inside the United States. There is no indication that those officers are being sent to Italy.
The announcement has triggered political backlash. Milan mayor Giuseppe Sala said the agents were not welcome. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi has been summoned to Parliament to explain the decision.
Some protesters drew explicit historical comparisons. Silvana Grassi held a sign equating ICE with the Gestapo. She said images of US immigration enforcement deeply disturbed her. Others acknowledged the agents’ limited role but still rejected their presence. Paolo Bortoletto said opposition centred on values rather than logistics. “It’s their ideas that bother us,” he said.
The Winter Olympics open on 6 February. The ceremony will be attended by US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
