Carabinieri Mobile Units Division
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The Carabinieri Mobile Units Division () is the
Carabinieri The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign poli ...
formation, established in 2001, dedicated to the performance of military duties abroad, the
military police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. Not to be confused with civilian police, who are legally part of the civilian populace. In wartime operations, the military police may supp ...
tasks when abroad, the support to Territorial Organization, the participation in civil protection operations and to ensure the emergency reserve for the General Command.


History

Carabinieri units devoted to the riot control and to tactical tasks experienced several organizational phases, from late 1910s to the present day. While from 1919 until 1963 Carabinieri riot units were under the exclusive control of Carabinieri Legions (inter-provincial commands), since 1963 they have been under an unified command: from 1963 to 2000 the Command was set at the Brigade level, while the present-day Division was established in 2001.


1919-1923

The history of the branch of the Carabinieri specifically dedicated to quell massive civil disturbances dates back in 1919, when 18 Carabinieri Autonomous Mobile Battalions (''Battaglioni Mobili Autonomi'') were established in order to deal with the Biennio Rosso. Before 1919, the operational approach to riot control consisted in drawing Carabinieri from the territorial stations near the event, replacing them with Carabinieri drawn in turn from other Stations. Since 1908 several proposes had been made by Carabinieri officers to form organic Carabinieri units in order to not to divert Carabinieri from the territorial police service and to improve the harmony within the ranks of Carabinieri assigned to public order services.pp. 271–273 the proposal was suspended due to the outbreak of the
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
.p. 14 At the end of the World War I, the
Royal Italian Army The Royal Italian Army () (RE) was the land force of the Kingdom of Italy, established with the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy. During the 19th century Italy started to unify into one country, and in 1861 Manfredo Fanti signed a decree c ...
was reduced in size and both the Royal Carabinieri and the Royal Guard of Public Security were augmented.p. 268 Following the end of the War, participants to rallies increased in numbers and Army units deployed in internal order services significantly decreased. The Arm of Carabinieri, in order to sustain the increasingly heavy duty, established for the first time outside war several Army-style Battalions.pp. 269–270 On 7 December 1918, the Carabinieri General Command elaborated a proposal for War Minister Alberico Albricci, assuming the establishment of 15p. 282 to 16p. 16 Mobile Battalions under the relevant Carabinieri Legion. The total strength of the Mobile Battalions was envisioned in 5,000 Carabinieri. According to the proposal, each Battalion should have had 5 trucks with attached drivers and mechanics, two motorcycles for commanders of the detachments and a light car for the commanding Colonel.pp. 280–282 Under the 1918 proposal, Legions with two Mobile Battalions assigned were to be led by a Brigadier General, with two Colonels, one of which assigned to the task of commanding the Battalioni Group.p. 16 On 13 March 1919, the War Ministry ordered the provisional establishment of 16 Carabinieri Mobile Battalions, whose organization was to be dealt with by the General Command.p. 16 On 30 March 1919, Commandant General Luigi Cauvin issued executive orders for the establishment of the Mobile Battalions of the Royal Carabinieri. According to Article 3 of the executive orders, the Carabinieri Mobile Battalion was organized into:p. 17 * Battalion HQ * 3 Infantry Companies, (4 Platoons each) * 1 Cyclists Companies (2 Platoons) Each Mobile Battalion was to be led by a Lieutenant Colonel (Mobile Battalions of Alessandria, Genoa, Verona, Trieste, Treviso, Bologna, Ancona, Cagliari, Bari, two of the three Battalions of Rome, one of the two Battalions of Turin, Milan, Naples, Florence and Palermo)p. 19 or by a Major (Mobile Battalions of Udine, Taranto, Catania, one Mobile Battalion in Rome, Turin, Milan, Florence, Naples and Palermo),p. 19 assisted by an Aide ranking Lieutenant, each Company was to be led by a Captain, while Platoons could be led by a Lieutenant, a Second Lieutenant or by a senior Sub-Officer.p. 17 The strength of each Mobile Battalions was to be 782 officers and troops. According to Article 7, Carabinieri of the Mobile Battalions were to be deployed in organic units (Platoon, Company, or the whole Battalion) always under their own subofficers and officers. The training was specifically designed for public order and riot control services.pp. 284–286 One quarter of the strength of each battalion was to be assigned to the territorial support of the relevant Legion.p. 17 Battalions were to be housed in separate barracks from other Royal Carabinieri and, in case of more than one Battalion assigned to the same city, on the opposite side of the urban centre; at least one officer had to be housed in the barracks.p. 18 After the widespread civil unrest of Spring-Summer 1919,p. 105 the Carabinieri accelerated on the establishment of the Mobile Battalions, despite personnel shortages.p. 106 On 25 August 1919, another study elaborated by the General Command proposed the establishment of Mobile Battalions as a quick reaction force, also in response to insurrections to be dealt with by the Army; the following day, a memorandum by the General Command advised against the establishment of the military Royal Guard of Public Security, a standing corps with military status dealing exclusively with civil disturbances.p. 107 The 1919 proposal envisioned therefore a mechanized unit consisting of Cyclist Companies, special trains (also available for natural disasters), and fast trucks; the training for personnel assigned to the Battalions was designed in order to improve the cohesion and decision.pp. 283–284 The Royal Decree of 2 October 1919, no. 1802 sanctioned the existing situation, authorizing the raising of the Carabinieri Mobile Battalions.p. 21 By force of the Royal Decree of 20 April 1920, no. 451, eighteen Autonomous Mobile Battalions were raised for a total strength of 12,282 troops.pp. 279–280 These carried the name of their garrison cities and were marked with serial number if more than one Battalion were assigned in the same city:
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
(2 Battalions),
Alessandria Alessandria (; ) is a city and commune in Piedmont, Italy, and the capital of the Province of Alessandria. It is also the largest municipality of the region. The city is sited on the alluvial plain between the Tanaro and the Bormida rivers, ...
,
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,
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
(2 Battalions),
Verona Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...
,
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
,
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,
Ancona Ancona (, also ; ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region of central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona, homonymous province and of the region. The city is located northeast of Ro ...
,
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
(2 Battalions),
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
(2 Battalions),
Bari Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...
,
Palermo Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...
,
Catania Catania (, , , Sicilian and ) is the second-largest municipality on Sicily, after Palermo, both by area and by population. Despite being the second city of the island, Catania is the center of the most densely populated Sicilian conurbation, wh ...
. The 1920 Battalions were organized into * HQ and HQ Section * 3 Carabinieri Companies; * 1 Carabinieri Cyclist Company; * 1 Machine-guns Section (2 Sections for seven Mobile Battalions: ''Torino 1°'', Milano 1°, ''Firenze'', ''Roma 1°'', ''Roma 2°'', ''Roma 3°'', ''Palermo'')p. 24 Each Battalion had a total force of 750 men under the command of a lieutenant colonel.pp. 279–280 Mobile Battalions in Alessandria, Treviso, Cagliari, Catanzaro and Messina were established outside the 1918 plan, due to evolving needs.pp. 280–282 Two years later, in 1922, six Battalions were disbanded and at the next year the remaining Battalions followed. However, three Battalions subordinated to the local Legion remained in existence: two in Rome and one in Palermo. In December 1922, the Royal Guard of Public Security (a military corps exclusively dedicated to riot control operations) was merged into the Carabinieri.p. 407


Operations

The first period of existence of Mobile Battalions was short but intense. In 1919 the most serious disturbances occurred in Novara, Milan, Brescia, Rome, Piombino, Viareggio, Corenza and Venice, Apulia and Piedmont. The 1st Bersaglieri Regiment mutinied in Ancona in June 1920, but it was brought down by a Carabinieri Battalion. In 1921 serious disturbances erupted in several municipalities of Campania, including Castellamare di Stabia, in the major towns and cities of Tuscany, in Apulia, including Bari, and in Rome. In the same years, the
Blackshirts The Voluntary Militia for National Security (, MVSN), commonly called the Blackshirts (, CCNN, singular: ) or (singular: ), was originally the paramilitary wing of the National Fascist Party, known as the Squadrismo, and after 1923 an all-vo ...
movement clashed with leftist formations and strikes increased. Between 1919 and 1920, the Carabinieri performed 233 public order and riot control operations and suffered 517 casualties (43 dead and 474 wounded). Facing increasingly combative demonstrations, the government authorities left loose rules of engagement to the police forces, with the result of bloody clashes. According to Arnaldo Grilli and Antonio Picci, between 1919 and 1922, Carabinieri Mobile Battalions were awarded with 2 Gold Medals of Military Valour, 55 Silver Medals of Military Valour, 62 Bronze Medals of Military Valour, as well as hundreds of Solemn commendations.


1940-1963

In 1940 the new Army organization foresaw four Carabinieri Battalions, while in 1945 12 Battalions (renamed Mobile Battalions) were re-established, in order to deal with the civil unrest following the end of the
civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, along with four Mobile Battalion Groups (which were brigades). The 1945-established Mobile Battalions were equipped, supplied and maintained by the relevant Carabinieri Legion of their AOR. The Mobile Battalions Groups were: * 1st Group (HQ Milan), subordinated to the 1st Carabinieri Division "''Pastrengo''" and including Battalions based in Turin, Milan, Genoa and
Padua Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...
* 2nd Group (HQ Florence), subordinated to the 2nd Carabinieri Division "''Podgora''", including Bologna and Florence Battalions * 3rd Group (HQ Rome), subordinated to the 2nd Carabinieri Division "''Podgora''", including Battalions "''Lazio''", "''Rome''" and "''Cagliari''" * 4th Group (HQ Naples), subordinated to the 3rd Carabinieri Division "''Ogaden''", with Naples, Bari and Palermo Battalions Each group was organized into a brigade or regimental HQ with the battalions reporting to it. The Mobile Battalions were provided of new vehicles in order to enable them to deploy rapidly. In the immediate aftermaths of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, both police and Carabinieri were strictly prohibited by armistice clauses to have hand grenades, machine guns, rifles and even handguns.pp. 63–64
Ferruccio Parri Ferruccio Parri (; 19 January 1890 – 8 December 1981) was an Italian partisan and anti-fascist politician who served as the 29th Prime Minister of Italy, and the first to be appointed after the end of World War II. During the war, he was also ...
,
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
in 1945, supported the reinforcement of the Carabinieri in order to enable them to counter threats to public order.p. 64,85 In 1945 Carabinieri sustained 29 casualties during public order services.p. 67 In 1949
Minister of Interior An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...
Mario Scelba Mario Scelba (; 5 September 1901 – 29 October 1991) was an Italian politician and statesman who was the 33rd prime minister of Italy from February 1954 to July 1955. A founder of Christian Democracy (DC), Scelba was one of the longest-serving ...
asked the General Command of the Carabinieri and
Minister of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...
Randolfo Pacciardi Randolfo Pacciardi (1 January 1899 – 14 April 1991) was an Italian politician. He was a long-time member of the secular, centre-left Italian Republican Party. An ardent anti-fascist, he lived in exile for many years and was an officer of the ...
to provide Carabinieri with batons and other riot-specific equipment. Both the General Command and the Defence Minister refused.pp. 144–146 According to Virgilio Ilari, as of 1949 the Carabinieri mobile forces consisted of 13 Battalions and 34 Trucked Units (''Nuclei Autocarrati''), with an updated equipment. Trucked Units were part of Carabinieri Legions. On 6 August 1956, the blue beret was assigned to mobile units (both Mobile Battalions and Trucked Units). On 26 August 1949, the Banditry Repression Forces Command was established under Colonel Ugo Luca.p. 170 Between 1951 and 1963, a new Parachute Carabinieri Battalion, dedicated to airborne operations in support of civil authorities in peacetime, was in active servicep. 183 After the end of the Second World War, in Italy occurred several security crisis: banditism in Sicily and in Sardinia, and civil disturbances across the country.pp. 168–169 Such disturbances were politically motivated and, as such, differently reported.pp. 61–63 In the aftermaths of World War II (between 1946 and 1948), Carabinieri managed to evade the majority of the riot control operations;p. 89,135 nonetheless, during riot control operations carried out from the end of the war to 1948, 101 Carabinieri died, while 757 others were wounded. According to Antonio Sannino, the fact that the Carabinieri remained hostile to Communists' political approaches caused the British support to them.p. 86 Between 1945 and 1948, Carabinieri underwent a massive rearmament in order to deal with institutional duties. In 1945 they had only 5 armoured vehicles and 79 trucks; the armored park grew to 264 armoured vehicles and 1358 transport trucks in 1948.p. 521


1963-2000

Following the 1960 Genoa clashes, a reform project for the Mobile Battalions was envisioned, but later abandoned. Both the organization and the equipment (which included old
Sherman Sherman most commonly refers to: *Sherman (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname ** William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–1891), American Civil War General *M4 Sherman, a World War II American tank S ...
tanks) were found to be obsolete either inadequate to emergency tasks.p. 48 On 27 January 1963,
Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
Giovanni De Lorenzo formulated a proposal to reorganize riot units. In this proposal, Mobile Battalions were to be available for both wartime and peacetime tasks, with a wartime organization and a reduced peacetime one;pp. 497–498 the proposal also suggested that mounted Carabinieri were to be concentrated in robust cavalry units.p. 498 On 1 April 1963, with the 1960s Army and Carabinieri reorganization, the XI Carabinieri Mechanized Brigade was established directly under the General Command led by Giovanni De Lorenzo, in order to cope with the internal territorial defence needs. The first commander of the XI Carabinieri Mechanized Brigade was Brigadier General Franco Picchiotti.p. 514 The establishment of the new brigade was in order to adjust the organization of the Battalions and of cavalry units both for strictly military tasks, and those related to the protection of public order and riot control. The aim was to ensure Carabinieri Battalions the availability of all elements necessary to be in a position to act in isolation and overcome considerable resistance without having to rely on the support of other Army Corps or even of other Armed Forces, to ensure Battalions' speed of movement and concentration in large sectors of foreseeable use and a constant high training level. On the other hand, the XI Carabinieri Mechanized Brigade had only support tasks, the Interior Ministry retained the power of deployment of Carabinieri Battalions through the General Command and the Brigade Command.p. 521 The establishment of the XI Carabinieri Mechanized Brigade was controversial: some senior officers criticized the decision, deeming that the essential features of the Carabinieri were capillarity and focus on criminal police activity.p. 48 Ferruccio Parri deemed that the establishment of the XI Carabinieri Mechanized Brigade was purported to form an "Army within an Army", ready to intervene in the political balance.p. 492 Overall, the XI Carabinieri Mechanized Brigade consisted of about 5,000 men with 80 tracked vehicles, 200 other military vehicles, 130 M47 tanks and a paratroopers battalion. However, the brigade never had responsibility for actual unitary operational command, lacking supports due to a political choice, but exercised the tasks of instruction and preparation for the riot control activities. In the 1963 reorganization, Mobile Battalions were renamed simply Battalions and were marked with a sequential number, while remaining administratively dependent on the relevant Legion; the Battalions Groups were renamed Carabinieri Regiments, and were given the conceptual role of a resolution unit in both riot and tactical tasks; According original resolutions, Regiments were to have only disciplinary, training and deployment functions, while general management rested within the relevant Legion. The newly formed Mechanized Brigade exercised its operational and training authority on: * 1st Carabinieri Regiment (HQ Milan): commanding I, II, III and IV Battalions; * 2nd Carabinieri Regiment (HQ Rome): commanding V, VI, VIII and IX Battalions; * 3rd Carabinieri Regiment (HQ Naples): commanding X, XI and XII Battalions; * 4th Mounted Carabinieri Regiment (HQ Rome) with 2 Squadrons Groups (Battalion-level units) and 1 Armoured-motorized Squadron; * VII Battalion (directly under the Brigade Command), under IV Army Corps; despite being the newest Battalion, the unit inherited traditions and number of the second battalion of Rome, which was disestablished. * XIII Battalion (directly under the Brigade Command), under V Army Corps. The command structure of the XI Carabinieri Mechanized Brigade consisted of: * Staff, with personnel management and training bodies; * Services Office, with activation and research tasks; * Army officers of Transmissions and Motorization organizations, with management, technical, inspecting and consulting tasks. Each Carabinieri Battalion was led by a lieutenant colonel or a major and consisted of: * 1 Command Company (1 Command Platoon, 1 Services Platoon, 1 Scouts Platoon), 2 Rifle Companies (command platoon, 3 rifle platoons, 1 company weapons platoon each); * 1 Mortars Company and 1 Tanks Company (Command Platoon, 3 Tanks Platoons). It was therefore a robust tactical complex. The Carabinieri Battalions had to be used only when the police and the local organization of the Carabinieri they had found insufficient, in order not to deprive the General Command of a valuable combat tool. Within the VII Battalion, based in Laives, the Counter-terrorism Special Company was established in 1960s to counter South Tyrolean terrorism;p. 187 the security operations were also supported by several Trucked Units. Both VII and XIII Battalions were to be always maintained at their full wartime force. The 1963 reorganization did not mark the end of the organizational shifts. In 1964, 1st Carabinieri Helicopter Section was established. The XI Brigade was subordinated, on 7 March 1965, to the Inspectorate of Mechanized and Special Units, which included not only the XI Mechanized Brigade, but also all other tactical Carabinieri units: the Carabinieri Paratroopers Battalion, the Territorial Squadrons Groups of Milan, Cagliari and Palermo, the Trucked Units, as well as the naval service. Two years later, on 10 March 1967, the post was modified in "Inspectorate of Mechanized Units", being disbanded in May 1967. In 1968 the blue beret was modified, making it identical in shape to the maroon beret used by paratroopers. Between 1967 and 1968 it was set up the Inspectorate of Mechanized and Training Units (led by a
Divisional general Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French Revolutionary System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
), with responsibility on the X Carabinieri Brigade (including schools) and XI Carabinieri Mechanized Brigade. In 1971 it was established the Inspectorate Schools and Special Carabinieri Units; it controlled the X Brigade (dedicated to training) and XI Brigade. In 1969, under the command of former partisan Brigadier General Pietro Loretelli,p. 532 Battalions framed within Carabinieri Regiments were reorganized. The new structure consisted of Battalion Command Unit, Command and Services Company (Command and Services Platoon, Scouts Platoon, Transmissions Platoon, Tanks Platoon, Transportations Platoon), 2 Mechanized Rifle Companies (Command and Services Platoon, 3 Rifle Platoons, Mortars Platoons). According General Adamo Markert, as of 1969, the most prepared Carabinieri Battalions were headquartered in Gorizia, Bolzano, and Padua, ready for engagement in war.p. 519 Between 1973 and 1976, the 5th Carabinieri Regiment (HQ
Mestre Mestre () is a borough of the comune of Venice on the mainland opposite the historical island city in the region of Veneto, Italy. Administratively, Mestre forms (together with the nearby Carpenedo) the Municipalità di Mestre-Carpenedo, one ...
) also existed, including IV, VII and XIII Battalions. On 1 September 1977, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Carabinieri Regiments were disestablished and their Battalions were transferred under the direct operational and training authority of the 11th Mechanized Brigade; the 4th Mounted Carabinieri Regiment was renamed Mounted Carabinieri Regiment. In 1975 the XI Carabinieri Mechanized Brigade changed its name in 11th Carabinieri Mechanized Brigade (with Arabic numerals) and in 1976 the formation was renamed 11th Carabinieri Brigade; at the same time, the Brigade Command was tasked to exercise only training and logistical authority. In 1977, the three Carabinieri Regiments were disestablished and 4th Carabinieri Cavalry Regiment changed its name in Carabinieri Cavalry Regiment, with the Battalions being directly under the Brigade Command. The following year an Inspecting Colonel was appointed, while in 1979 two additional Colonels followed. In 1980, the Inspectorate changed its name to Carabinieri Schools and Special Carabinieri Units Division "''Palidoro''". In 1985, the Command was deprived of training component and was reorganized on the XI Brigade (Carabinieri Battalions) and the XII Brigade (specialist units); the brigade was therefore placed under a command called Carabinieri Mobile and Special Units Division "''Palidoro''". Overall, Carabinieri Battalions were divided into two groups, according to the main type (motorized or mechanized unit) of unit the unit deployed.


Operations

During the
Years of Lead Years of Lead is a phrase used in several countries to refer to periods of history marked by military repression, political violence or terrorism. Years of lead may refer to: Historical periods * Years of Lead (Brazil), period of state violence ...
and the subsequent period, however, most of the Battalions reduced their military training in order to deal with riot control activities. 7th and 13th Battalions maintained instead their military capabilities and were transferred under direct Army operational control. Each infantry company of each Battalion established, in this period, an "Intervention Platoon", in order to upgrade the responsiveness to serious riots.p. 191 In the
1976 Friuli earthquake The 1976 Friuli earthquake, also known in Italy as Terremoto del Friuli (''Friulian earthquake''), occurred on 6 May 1976, at 21:00:13 (20:00:13 UTC) with a moment magnitude of 6.5 and a maximum EMS intensity of X (''very destructive''). The shoc ...
, the XIII Carabinieri Battalion "''Friuli Venezia Giulia''", IV Carabinieri Battalion "''Veneto''" and VII Carabinieri Battalion "''Trentino Alto Adige''" intervened paying rescue and providing police and utility services. In the
1980 Irpinia earthquake The 1980 Irpinia earthquake () took place in Italy on 23 November 1980, with a moment magnitude of 6.9 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). It left at least 2,483 people dead, at least 7,700 injured, and 250,000 homeless. Eart ...
Carabinieri Battalions from Bari, Naples and Rome also intervened.pp. 203–204 During the
Years of Lead Years of Lead is a phrase used in several countries to refer to periods of history marked by military repression, political violence or terrorism. Years of lead may refer to: Historical periods * Years of Lead (Brazil), period of state violence ...
and the subsequent period, however, most of the Battalions reduced their military training in order to deal with riot control activities. 7th and 13th Battalions maintained instead their military capabilities and were transferred under direct Army operational control. Each infantry company of each Battalion established, in this period, an "Intervention Platoon", in order to upgrade the responsiveness to serious riots.p. 191 In the
1976 Friuli earthquake The 1976 Friuli earthquake, also known in Italy as Terremoto del Friuli (''Friulian earthquake''), occurred on 6 May 1976, at 21:00:13 (20:00:13 UTC) with a moment magnitude of 6.5 and a maximum EMS intensity of X (''very destructive''). The shoc ...
, the XIII Carabinieri Battalion "''Friuli Venezia Giulia''", IV Carabinieri Battalion "''Veneto''" and VII Carabinieri Battalion "''Trentino Alto Adige''" intervened paying rescue and providing police and utility services. In the
1980 Irpinia earthquake The 1980 Irpinia earthquake () took place in Italy on 23 November 1980, with a moment magnitude of 6.9 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). It left at least 2,483 people dead, at least 7,700 injured, and 250,000 homeless. Eart ...
Carabinieri Battalions from Bari, Naples and Rome also intervened.pp. 203–204 With the end of the Cold War, the mobile organization lost its combat-oriented connotation, taking over the role of force mainly devoted to the performance of riot control. The 1st Carabinieri Group in Milan and the 2nd Carabinieri in Rome were established in the 1990s within the 11th Brigade; these units were renamed, in 1995, respectively Carabinieri Regiment in Milan and Carabinieri Regiment in Rome. In 1996, the 1st Carabinieri Battalion was transformed in the 1st Parachute Carabinieri Regiment "''Tuscania''", although it remained within
Paratroopers Brigade Folgore A paratrooper or military parachutist is a soldier trained to conduct military operations by parachuting directly into an area of operations, usually as part of a large airborne forces unit. Traditionally paratroopers fight only as light infa ...
until 2002.


2001-present day

In 2001, when the Carabinieri were elevated to the rank of autonomous
Armed Force A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily Weapon, armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable ...
, the 11th Mechanized Brigade was reorganized into the present-day Carabinieri Mobile Units Division. From 2002 to 2013, the headquarters have been based in
Treviso Treviso ( ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 87.322 inhabitants (as of December 2024). Some 3,000 live within the Venetian wall ...
; in 2013 they were transferred in Rome. During the first years of existence as Division, the strength was over 6,000 units: 6,712 troops as of 2002, 6,500 troops in 2004.


Operations

The first major engagement of the newly formed Brigade was the
27th G8 summit The 27th G8 summit was held in Genoa, Italy, on 19–22 July 2001 and is remembered as a highpoint of the worldwide anti-globalization movement as well as for human rights violations against demonstrators. Overview The G8#History, Group of Seven ...
, a major
protest A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration, or remonstrance) is a public act of objection, disapproval or dissent against political advantage. Protests can be thought of as acts of cooperation in which numerous people cooperate ...
, drawing an estimated 200,000 demonstrators. Clashed erupted heavily; 329 people were arrested and over 400 protesters and about 100 among security forces were injured during the clashes. On the occasion, Carabinieri formed the shortly-existed ''Compagnie di contenimento e intervento risolutivo'', units formed with personnel drawn from existing Battalions of the 1st Carabinieri Mobile Brigade (Battalions "''Lombardia''", "''Lazio''", "''Toscana''", "''Campania''" and "''Sicilia''"), integrated with personnel drawn from the more military-oriented 2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade. Critics of the CCIR frequently point out the
militarization of police The militarization of police (paramilitarization of police in some media) is the use of military equipment and Military tactics, tactics by law enforcement officers. This includes the use of armored personnel carriers (APCs), assault rifles, ...
brought by the establishment of such units. On July 20, 23-year-old activist
Carlo Giuliani Carlo Giuliani was an Italian anti-globalization protester who was shot dead while attacking a Carabinieri van with a fire extinguisher, by an officer who was inside the van, during the anti-globalization riots outside the July 2001 G8 summit ...
of Genoa, was shot dead by Mario Placanica, a
Carabiniere The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign poli ...
, during clashes with police. On 14 July 2007, 13 Italian Carabineri, GOMPI Mobile and prison police were convicted for abuse of authority, abuse of office and uniform. Other charges included abuse and negligence.


Division commanders

Since its establishment, the Carabinieri Mobile Units Division has been led by eight Major Generals: * Gen. D. Luciano Gottardo (2001-2002); * Gen. D. Michele Franzé (2005-2006); * Gen. D. Giuseppe Barraco; * Gen. D. Leonardo Leso (2007-2009); * Gen. D. Umberto Pinotti (2009-2011); * Gen. D. Vincenzo Coppola; * Gen. D. Silvio Ghiselli; * Gen. D. Maurizio Detalmo Mezzavilla (2016-2021); * Gen. D. Giovanni Truglio (2021-2022). * Gen. D. Aldo Iacobelli (2022-present)


Mission

The Carabinieri Mobile Units Division, through its Brigades, is tasked with: * The performance of military duties of the Carabinieri associated with the integrated defence of the national territory and participation in military operations abroad; * The performance of military police tasks against Italian Armed Forces deployed overseas; * The support of the Carabinieri territorial organization in riot control activities and to increase the control of the territory in large urban areas and in the most sensitive areas in terms of public security; * The participation in civil protection operations; * The ensuring reserve of the General Command, a ready and reactive mass maneuvering force to cope with various emergencies.


Military operations abroad

Abroad, Carabinieri guarantee, exclusively, the Military Police in support of Italian contingents and provide MSU (Multinational Specialized Unit) and IPU (Integrated Police Unit) Regiments. The Division provide resources and personnel for several missions abroad. Current missions are carried out on behalf of the United Nations, NATO, European Union and on behalf of other international agreements. UN missions *
Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
: United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP); *
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
:
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (; ), or UNIFIL (; ) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission established on 19 March 1978 by United Nations Security Council Resolutions United Nations Security Council Resolution 425, 425 and Unit ...
(UNIFIL).
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
missions *
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
: NATO Training Mission - Afghanistan (NTM-A); *
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
:
Kosovo Force The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO-led international NATO peacekeeping, peacekeeping force and military of Kosovo. KFOR is the third security responder, after the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law (European ...
(KFOR). EU missions Within the European Union, Carabinieri participate (through the Division) in: *
Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
:
European Union Training Mission Somalia The European Union Training Mission Somalia (EUTM Somalia) is a training mission for the Somali Armed Forces conducted by military officials from European Union States and Non-EU States. Operations On 7 April 2010, the European Union launched a ...
(EUTM Somalia); * Kosovo: European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX); *
Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...
: European Union Capacity Building Mission (EUCAP Sahel); * Mediterranean Area: European Union Naval Force Mediterranean (EUNAVFORMED) Other missions: *
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
:
Temporary International Presence in Hebron Temporary International Presence in Hebron or TIPH was a civilian observer mission in the West Bank city of Hebron established in 1994. Both the Israeli Government and Palestinian Authority called for its creation. It “monitor dthe situation in ...
(TIPH 2) and, in Palestine, Italian Training Mission (MIADIT) * Lebanon: Italian Bilateral Military Mission in Lebanon (MIBIL) *
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
and
Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
as part of the "Inherent Resolve"; *
Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...
: Operation "IPPOCRATE"; *
Djibouti Djibouti, officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to the east. The country has an area ...
: Italian Training Mission (MIADIT Somalia).


Organization

The Division is placed under the Carabinieri Specialists and Mobile Units Command "''Palidoro''"; in turn, the Division is divided into two brigades.


1st Mobile Brigade

The 1st Mobile Brigade, located in Rome, successor of the 11th Brigade; it employs the 1st Regiment "''Piemonte''", the 4th Mounted Carabinieri Regiment (based in Rome), the 5th Regiment "''Emilia Romagna''", the 8th Carabinieri Regiment "''Lazio''", the 10th Carabinieri Regiment "''Campania''" and 5 Carabinieri Battalions located in Milan, Mestre, Bari, Palermo and
Vibo Valentia Vibo Valentia (; Monteleone before 1861; Monteleone di Calabria from 1861 to 1928; or ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region of Calabria, near the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital of the province of Vibo Valentia, and ...
. The Brigade employs a total of 12 Carabinieri Battalions. At the 8th Regiment Carabinieri "''Lazio''" in Rome and the Carabinieri Battalions in Milan, Florence, Naples, Bari, Palermo and Mestre it is constituted an "Operational Intervention Company" which, thanks to the special training of personnel and the allocation of substantial means and materials, allows to cope with the appropriate urgency in sudden danger to public security. In addition, in order to deal with emergencies in case of public calamity, at the Battalions are set up, when needed, special Rescue Units previously trained and provided with equipment and materials which allow them to provide initial assistance to people affected while awaiting the intervention of civil protection. The Carabinieri Cavalry Regiment contributes to the control of inaccessible rural areas of the country, supporting the territorial organization.


2nd Mobile Brigade

The 2nd Carabinieri Mobile Brigade, based in Livorno, is dedicated to the military missions abroad, including the military police tasks. It employs the 7th Carabinieri Regiment "''Trentino - Alto Adige''", the 13th Carabinieri Regiment "''Friuli Venezia Giulia''", and the 1st Paratroopers Carabinieri Regiment "Tuscania" and the
Special Intervention Group The Special Intervention Group (, GIS) is an Algerian special forces unit created in 1987, initially with 400 members. History Since 1992, GIS forces have operated within the context of violent confrontation between the Algerian government a ...
.


Related voices

*
Carabinieri The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign poli ...
* 14th Carabinieri Battalion "Calabria" * Military operations of the European Union *
Military police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. Not to be confused with civilian police, who are legally part of the civilian populace. In wartime operations, the military police may supp ...
*
Riot control Riot control is a form of public order policing used by law enforcement, military, paramilitary or security forces to social control, control, disperse, and arrest people who are involved in a riot, unlawful Demonstration (people), demonstration ...
*
Mobile Unit (Italy) In Italy, the Mobile Units () of the Polizia di Stato, often generically identified as a "''Celere Units''", are the police units used as a ready-to-use resource for riot control and for intervention in areas affected by disasters. Currently ther ...


References

{{coord, 45.6887, N, 12.2573, E, source:wikidata, display=title M Divisions of Italy Military units and formations established in 2001 Gendarmerie divisions