Meloni closes youth center

Rome (dpa) — The Italian government has shut down a left-wing youth centre in Milan after more than 30 years, in a move Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday was needed to close “lawless spaces.”

The self-managed facility, Leoncavallo, was known as a hub for anti-capitalist and anarchist groups but was also widely used for cultural events. The building had been occupied since 1994.

Meloni, who leads the far-right Brothers of Italy party, has faced accusations from the opposition of waging a cultural war.

Since her three-party coalition took office in late 2022, around 4,000 illegally occupied properties have been cleared, according to official figures.

The police acted on orders from the Interior Ministry following a court ruling that required the government in Rome to pay the building’s owners approximately €3 million ($3.5 million) in damages.

The property belongs to a business family that has been seeking its return for many years. The city of Milan said it was not informed in advance about the eviction.