Milan protests decry ‘creeping fascism’ of ICE role at Winter Olympics

Demonstrators in Milan protest United State’s ICE unit role at Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.Published On 31 Jan 2026Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Saturday in Milan to protest the deployment of ICE agents during the upcoming Winter Olympics, unbothered by the fact that agents would be stationed in a control room and not operating on the streets.The protest in Piazza XXV Aprile, a square named for the date of Italy’s liberation from Nazi fascism in 1945, drew people from the left-leaning Democratic Party, the CGIL trade union confederation and the ANPI organisations that protect the memory of Italy’s partisan resistance during World War II, along with many other people.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4History-chasing Djokovic and Alcaraz meet in Australian Open 2026 finallist 2 of 4Real look to bounce back from UCL woes as Vallecano arrive in La Ligalist 3 of 4Madison Square Garden warns brawlers of life bans before Lopez vs Stevensonlist 4 of 4Sabalenka ‘really upset’ at blowing Australian Open final chancesend of listOrganisers handed out plastic whistles, which participants blew as music blared from a van. The protest was as much against the news that agents from a division of ICE would participate in security for the US delegation as against what many saw as creeping fascism in the United States.“No thank you, from Minnesota to the world, at the side of anyone who fights for human rights,’’ read one banner. “Never again means never again for anyone,’’ read another, and “Ice only in Spritz,’’ a reference to a popular aperitif, read yet another.News of the deployment of ICE agents has provoked a backlash in Italy. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala has said they were not welcome. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi has been called to Parliament to testify about the deployment this week.Protester Silvana Grassi held a sign that read “Ice = Gestapo.” She said the scenes of ICE agents in Minneapolis shooting and killing protesters and detaining children were deeply upsetting.