Violent clashes erupted on Saturday at construction sites for the contested Turin–Lyon high‑speed railway in Italy’s Val di Susa when a breakaway group of several hundred black‑clad and masked protesters attacked police lines guarding the Chiomonte and San Didero tunnels. According to local authorities, the assailants hurled stones, bolts, fireworks and petrol bombs, and set fire to four police vehicles before being repelled with water cannon and tear gas after more than an hour of sustained confrontation.

Italian officials placed the number of injured law‑enforcement officers at more than 120, though the precise tally varied across government and union sources, ranging from 124 to 126. Detailed breakdowns cited 58 state police, 48 carabinieri, and 18 to 20 finance‑guard personnel wounded; some officers remained under hospital observation. No deaths were reported, and no official figure was released for protester casualties, though press accounts suggested dozens may have been hurt.

The violence prompted immediate condemnation from Rome. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said those who attacked the state would not prevail, while President Sergio Mattarella telephoned the interior minister to express solidarity with the wounded. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi called for an unambiguous political response to isolate the perpetrators, and right‑wing parties described the events as a “terrorist offensive,” demanding tougher measures. By contrast, the No Tav movement issued statements hailing a “great day of struggle” and insisting the valley was now “anything but pacified.”

Police have so far identified around 450 people and set up road and motorway checkpoints to screen traffic. The demonstration, which organisers said drew 20,000 participants, capped a three‑day festival, and investigators are examining links between event organisers and the violence. The EU‑backed rail project has faced decades of protest, but the scale of Saturday’s assault – described by police unions as among the most serious in recent years – has renewed debate over protest rights and public order in Italy. The official toll remains provisional as evidence gathering continues.