Winter Olympics Hit by Violent Protests and Rail Sabotage
The European Conservative2 days
Italy: Six Anti-Winter Olympics Protesters Clash with Police
Are protesters violent extremists attacking Italy or citizens opposing unsustainable Olympic spending?
Above: Demonstrators and police officers clash during a protest against the Winter Olympics Games in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 7, 2026. Image credit: Piero Cruciatti/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
Masked far-left extremists violently attacked police and disrupted Olympic events, firing fireworks and blocking roads in Milan. These delinquents have also vandalized infrastructure and sabotaged Italy's moment on the world stage while thousands of volunteers work tirelessly to showcase the nation. Their actions are a direct assault on Italy and its citizens.
Government-critical narrative
Over 10,000 people mobilized against the unsustainable Olympics, peacefully protesting a project that ballooned from 2 billion to over 6 billion euros while destroying 500 larches for a bobsled track with million-euro annual maintenance costs. That there have been clashes between a few protesters and police doesn't mar the fact that these demonstrations brought students, activists and working-class people together against speculative development.
Metaculus Prediction
Public Figures
Establishment split
CRITICAL
PRO
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0