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A series of attacks against Italy’s railway system, causing delays of several hours and affecting thousands of passengers, were revealed by police on Saturday. The actions were believed to be related to the Olympic Games, which were inaugurated in Cortina on Friday.
Three incidents were reported. A track switch was set on fire on the Adriatic coast, and police later discovered electrical cables monitoring train speed had been cut close to Bologna, a major transport hub. An unexploded makeshift bomb was also found on tracks in the vicinity.
Transport minister and deputy PM Matteo Salvini called the attacks “actions of unprecedented seriousness” by people who “want harm to Italy” and said they were similar to attacks on the French high-speed network during the last Summer Olympics. No group had claimed responsibility for the sabotage on Sunday morning, but police and the Bologna prosecutor’s office have opened investigations, not ruling out terrorism charges or connections to the Olympics.
The main suspects, based on early reports and similarities to past incidents, are anarchist or anti-establishment groups, potentially protesting the environmental, social, or economic costs of the Games.
Milan, which is co-hosting the Olympics with Cortina, saw violent protesters clashing with police on Saturday when a march of around 5,000 people disintegrated into chaos. Protesters threw stones, bottles, and smoke bombs at riot police, who responded with water cannons to disperse the crowds.
Demonstrators included climate activists denouncing the Olympics as “unsustainable” along with pro-Palestinian groups, protesters claiming the event caused “economic and social harm,” and people protesting the reported presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at the Games.
Seven protesters were arrested by police in connection with the protests, Corriere della Serareported on Saturday evening.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni commented on social media, referring to both protesters and people behind the rail sabotage as “gangs of criminals” and “enemies of Italy and the Italians”:
Thousands and thousands of Italians are working during these hours so that everything works during the Olympics. Many do it voluntarily, because they want their Nation to look good, admired and respected.
Then there are them: the enemies of Italy and the Italians, who demonstrate “against the Olympics”, putting these images to an end on the televisions of half the world. After others locked railway cables to prevent trains from starting.
Solidarity, once again, to the police forces, to the city of Milan, and to all those who will see their work vanished by these gangs of criminals.
No one was reported to have been injured during the demonstration or in connection with the railway sabotage. Italian authorities have announced increased security on transport infrastructure during the Olympics, which run through February 22nd.
