The opening of Expo 2015 was marred today by violent clashes between police and opponents of Milan's hosting of the first world fair since Shanghai five years ago.
Police fired tear gas at stone-throwing, masked protestors who had smashed windows and torched several cars and bins during a "No Expo" march which organisers said had brought 30,000 people onto the streets.
Water cannons were used to put out blazes, including one at a bank branch where the wall had been graffiti-ed with the words: "You've skinned us, today you pay."
The violent scenes helped make it a distinctly bitter-sweet start to a six-month food-themed event Italy hopes will bolster its international standing and give a boost to the struggling economy.
Thousands of visitors poured into the specially created site on the edge of Milan. After months of concern about delays partly linked to a corruption scandal which hit the organisation last year, it appeared most of the key construction work for the Expo had been finished in the nick of time.
But there was grumbling from participants over organisational problems which meant many of the pavilions and exhibits were not fully operational.
Ticketless visitors arriving by underground train faced 90-minute waits in the Spring rain to get into the custom-built, 110-hectare site.
That was due to a combination of ticketing software problems and long queues for the airport-style security scanners.
Among those whose patience was tested in the queue to get in were a mother and son from New Delhi who were supposed to be inside opening a stall selling Indian crafts for their non-profit organisation.
They told AFP organisers had been unable to provide them with security passes in time due to "backlogging" in the processing of participants.
"I have been going to world exhibitions since Montreal in 1967 and I have never seen anything like this. We're quite angry," said the woman who did not want to be identified.
Unable to have any of their craft items delivered, her son was carrying as many as he could in two large sacks.
Her son added: "We've paid 200,000 euros to have the stall for the six months and we are having to buy daily tickets for 39 euros each just to get in. It's ridiculous."
Declaring the fest open, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi bullishly insisted Milan and Italy had defied the critics who had said they would never be ready in time.
