The Italian government has deployed hundreds of soldiers in a show of force to deter crime. 

From the AP (via Yahoo News):

Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s conservative government had proposed the measure as part of a security package that also toughens rules for illegal immigrants, whom some Italians link to crime. The measure, recently approved by parliament, remains in effect for six months.

Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa dismissed criticism that the soldiers would scare residents, saying that instead they could help address citizens’ concerns on security. The people more likely to be afraid, he said, were “the thieves, the rapists, the criminals.”

Berlusconi has made law and order a priority after winning April elections on promises to crack down on crime.

Some critics say the deployments will end up militarizing the cities, while others bring up the opposite argument that a deployment of 3,000 soldiers is little more than a show.