Hundreds of protesters gathered in a central square in Milan on Saturday, demanding that U.S. ICE agents assisting with security at the Winter Olympics leave Italy.
Many of the Italians who chanted and blew whistles near the grand stone arch in the Piazza XXV Aprile said they had been horrified and angered by images and videos on social media showing ICE agents operating violently in Minneapolis.
"All the videos are public and everyone can see what's happening," said Bruna Scanziani, age 18, who held up a sign with photographs of Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti, two American citizens killed by ICE agents. "The perception of America has changed."
With the opening ceremony taking place next Friday, Italy's government has scrambled to contain the growing political scandal over ICE's role at the Winter Games, holding high level cabinet meetings and offering public assurances that the role of ICE agents would be limited.