An Italian priest made headlines after responding to a group of far-left demonstrators with a middle-finger gesture during violent unrest in Milan. The confrontation occurred as protesters occupied streets across the city, with demonstrations initially associated with student concerns escalating into incidents of vandalism, looting and clashes with police.
Father Giannicola Maria Simone was standing outside the Church of Sant’Alessandro di Zebedia, near the historic Piazza Sant’Alessandro, when groups of young protesters rushed past the building on Oct. 17. As the disorder spread through the surrounding streets, the priest responded to one of the demonstrators with an offensive hand gesture, apparently surprising a parishioner who witnessed the exchange.
The 65-year-old cleric remained near the entrance of the imposing church as a crowd of masked protesters moved through the area.
Footage that subsequently circulated widely online showed an unidentified demonstrator raising both hands and extending his middle fingers toward Simone. The priest responded almost casually, lifting his left hand and returning the same gesture.
Simone later acknowledged that the incident had genuinely occurred, rejecting suggestions that the widely shared video had been artificially generated. He maintained that his response was spontaneous and carried no intention of provoking violence.
“It’s real, even if they’re now making up fake versions,” Simone told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Thursday.
“It happened like this: as these young people were walking by, someone gave me the middle finger. They’re kids, so I’m not surprised. I gave them the middle finger back, but without any violent intentions or the risk of sparking further anger.”
The priest also explained that he had not been particularly concerned about the demonstrators damaging the church. He suggested that some of those participating in the unrest appeared uncertain about the reasons for their involvement.
“He did it because he saw me, but they were all running away,” Simone explained.
Before the confrontation, Simone had been observing the disturbances unfolding near the church when he noticed groups of hooded demonstrators heading toward the surrounding streets.
Recognizing the potential danger, the priest quickly opened the church to frightened tourists and pedestrians seeking protection from the disorder outside.
“I was in the church watching what was happening… then I saw them pushing forward and spreading out into the side streets, and I ran to close the church,” Simone said. “There were lots of people fleeing the rioters, and I let them all in. They weren’t worshippers, but tourists and other passersby. They stayed here until the chaos passed.”
Simone said he did not consider his gesture something that required repentance, arguing that he had neither physically harmed anyone nor attempted to encourage further confrontation.
“No, I don’t think we should talk about repentance. If I had thrown a punch, yes, but I’ve never raised my hand to anyone, not even in the most difficult moments. I’m 65 years old and I’ve worked with kids all my life, and every now and then you have to tell them, ‘Be careful what you do.’ I certainly would never have done something like that outside of the context of the fights.”
The priest also described conversations with several demonstrators who had gathered in the square. He said some appeared to have joined the protests without a particular objective, including individuals who suggested that boredom had influenced their decision to participate.
“We don’t know why we’re here, everyone came, so I came too,” Simone recalled one protester telling him.
The unrest extended beyond Milan to other cities in northern Italy, where groups of predominantly young demonstrators were involved in incidents of shop looting, property destruction and attacks against law enforcement officers.
Milan, Italy’s financial center, became a major location for demonstrations originally focused on the rising cost of living and concerns about public services. However, the gatherings were subsequently overshadowed by violence involving some participants.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto condemned the disturbances, with Crosetto characterizing the unrest as part of a broader form of unconventional conflict affecting European countries.
“The events in Milan and elsewhere in Italy are fundamentally different from those seen in other eras; they are the product of what I call ‘hybrid warfare’—a form of conflict being waged against our nations through unconventional tools like TikTok, social media, and YouTube,” Crosetto said in Rome, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Meloni also denounced the violence and approved more restrictive security measures in response. The reported provisions would permit police to detain minors between the ages of 14 and 17 under certain circumstances, including situations in which they had not been accused of committing a crime. The measures also introduce tougher penalties for individuals involved in violent demonstrations.
“Thugs who exploit demonstrations to sow chaos, attack those who ensure security and hold entire cities hostage… Demonstrating is a right. Setting our cities ablaze is not,” Meloni said Saturday.
Under the government’s new anti-riot provisions, parents could also face financial responsibility for damage resulting from looting and vandalism committed by their children.
Italian authorities additionally plan to station 500 military personnel in Milan for the remainder of the year to assist with security operations and efforts to contain further disturbances.
“We know what it means to look for a job, to earn an insufficient wage, and to see no prospects for the future … but hardship must never be used as an excuse for violence,” Meloni said Tuesday.