[Anchor]

The embers of the protests originating from France have rapidly spread across Europe. In Italy, demonstrators even forced their way inside the Colosseum, a world cultural heritage site, turning the area into chaos. Fierce protests also erupted in Spain, Portugal, and Albania.

Reporter Kim Jin-woo has the details.

[Reporter]

Protesters have broken into the Colosseum, a world cultural heritage site.

As security guards try to force the demonstrators out, water bottles fly and physical clashes break out.

Amid loud noises, tear gas goes off in downtown Rome, and police deploy water cannons against the protesters to disperse them.

[Giorgia Falbo / Protester: The right to protest is a sacred and legitimate right. Protesting is naturally the right thing to do.]

Protests protesting high inflation and austerity measures have turned major Italian cities into chaos.

In Turin, police used shields and batons to crack down on protesters, and in Bologna, one citizen suffered head injuries and received medical treatment.

In Milan, where 45 people were arrested during last weekend's protests due to looting and arson, an additional 500 airborne brigade troops were deployed to conduct stop-and-search operations.

A crowd of 10,000 protesters, including thousands of university students, gathered to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Meloni.

[Yara El Nahal / Protester: Unlike previous generations, our generation is placed in a situation where we can no longer picture our own future.]

[Chloe / Protester: You can tell that those in power do not care at all about how we will live in the future or what situation we will be placed in.]

In Albania, protesters demanding the eradication of corruption in education and the resignation of the prime minister set fire to the government building and clashed with police.

In Portugal, where housing difficulties for young people and low-wage workers have worsened due to soaring housing prices and rents, tent protests continued, and rallies opposing the privatization of public pensions continued in Spain as well.

(Video Editing: Yu Mi-ra)