Suspected sabotage and arson hits Italy on Winter Olympics’ opening day
Trains seriously disrupted in suspected sabotage
- Suspected sabotage incidents targeted rail infrastructure near Bologna, Italy, on Saturday morning, coinciding with the opening day of the Winter Olympic Games.
- Three distinct incidents, including a cabin fire, severed electrical cables, and a rudimentary explosive device, caused delays of up to two-and-a-half hours for train services and led to the temporary closure of Bologna's high-speed station.
- Italy's Transport Ministry condemned the acts as 'serious sabotage', drawing parallels to similar incidents affecting France's TGV network during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
- Police reported no one had claimed responsibility for the coordinated attacks, which significantly disrupted a major rail junction linking Italy's east-to-west lines and connecting the south to northern cities.
- Separately, thousands protested in Milan on the same day against soaring housing costs, deepening inequality, and environmental concerns, arguing the Olympics are a waste of public money.
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