Workers stage nationwide protests across Italy in support of Palestinians in Gaza
Tens of thousands of protesters have marched in more than 80 Italian cities today after unions called for a nationwide strike in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Protests were primarily peaceful, except for in Milan, where a group broke windows and clashed with police at the city’s main train station.
The demonstrators also called for Italy’s government to join other Western nations in recognizing a Palestinian state, and to halt the flow of weapons to Israel through Italian ports.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is under pressure to announce formal recognition of the state of Palestine after Britain, Australia, Canada and Portugal did so yesterday, piling pressure on Israel over its campaign in Gaza.
Protesters are also planning to block the Italian port of Livorno on Tuesday where a US cargo ship is expected to dock with weapons en route to Israel.
Dock workers left their posts in Genoa and Marghera to protest the transfer of arms to Israel and to support the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of ships attempting to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and carry aid to the enclave. The flotilla departed for Gaza last week, after gathering around 40 vessels between Sicily and Malta.
USB, a trade union, called the general strike, which has affected public transport, railways, schools, ports and other public services. The union said the aim of the strike was to “break-off” relations with Israel, defend Gaza and support the flotilla.
More than 30,000 people had gathered in front of Rome’s Termini station by early Monday afternoon, local police said.
“It is no longer possible that a state (Israel) can do what it is doing in Palestine. It is truly shameful, unheard of, and no longer possible,” one of the protesters, a retiree, told CNN. “Thank goodness all these people are here; it means there is still a heart, a soul, and a humanity capable of deciding certain things.”
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni chose to focus her response to the nationwide protests on the violence in Milan, posting on X images of destruction to the station.
“Violence and destruction that have nothing to do with solidarity and that will not change the lives of people in Gaza one iota, but will have concrete consequences for Italian citizens, who will end up suffering and paying for the damage caused by these thugs,” she wrote.
This post has been updated with additional details about the protests and Giorgia Meloni’s reaction.