Italian defense minister blames social media for recent unrest

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has attributed the recent violent riots in Milan, Turin, and Bologna to a form of hybrid warfare conducted via social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. Speaking on October 20, 2026, Crosetto argued that these platforms are being used as unconventional weapons to influence the perceptions and behaviors of young people, noting that the nature of these incidents differs significantly from previous civil unrest in the country.

Crosetto emphasized that the participants in these protests are not exclusively second-generation Italians. He suggested that a substantial portion of the youth—roughly six out of ten—have been exposed to an 'anti-education' system that imparts values and worldviews fundamentally incompatible with Western democratic norms. The minister lamented that the West has failed to recognize or adequately respond to this psychological strategy.

Looking ahead, the largest Italian trade union, CGIL, which represents over 4.5 million members, is scheduled to hold events on the afternoon of October 21, 2026. The government remains focused on addressing the underlying societal tensions that the minister believes are being fueled by external digital influences.