La Scala premiere, on the royal stage women in the centre. Protesters throw firecrackers

On the royal stage at La Scala for the premiere 'next to the lady, Senator Liliana Segre' there are 'two other women, our two wives, mine and the mayor Sala's, and we will stand on the sidelines for once'. Senate President Ignazio La Russa explained this as he arrived at La Scala for Verdi's La forza del destino. 'It's good, that men stay on the sidelines,' he concluded. 'I am happy that the mayor has accepted with pleasure my proposal to have Liliana Segre centre stage and our ladies next to her,' he added.

The Sant'Ambrogio premiere, as every year, was then an occasion for protests. Near Piazza della Scala, protesters from the Milan anti-war procession threw firecrackers and smoke bombs over the barriers delimiting the 'red zone' in Via Santa Margherita. The activists approached hiding behind a banner. Immediately afterwards, they set off again towards Largo Cairoli where the demonstration should end. The area is manned by the police.

The procession is organised by the anti-fascist, anti-racist, mestizo and solidarity network, joined by social centres, grassroots unions, the Palestinian community and several other unions. "From Piazza Duomo, where we have been prevented from demonstrating for more than a year, we shout 'Free Palestine'", was shouted from the march leader, the one where the pro-Palestine demonstrators march. A few hundred metres earlier, as they passed through Via Larga, smoke was lit in front of the central registry office, where a sign was displayed against evictions and high rents.