Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in Verona, Italy just hours before the Winter Olympics closing ceremony. The protesters voiced concerns about expensive housing, environmental damage, and costly event tickets reaching 400 euros.
VERONA, Italy – Several hundred demonstrators filled the streets of Verona on February 22nd, staging a protest just hours before the Winter Olympics closing ceremony was set to begin at the city’s historic Roman arena at 8:30 p.m.
University students and advocacy groups organized the demonstration under the banner “Olympics? No thanks,” expressing opposition to what they describe as an event that harms forests, covers sensitive land with concrete, and worsens social disparities.
“We are here to defend our territory from speculation… and from the impossible cost of attending events,” declared 76-year-old activist Giannina Dal Bosco, pointing out that closing ceremony tickets were priced around 400 euros.
Demonstrators carried signs with messages like “Fewer Games for the few, more homes for everyone.”
Francesca, a 34-year-old who made the 60-kilometer journey from Vicenza, criticized how new Olympic facilities have altered the natural environment. “They built concrete monstrosities like the bobsleigh track, which will serve no purpose,” she stated. “Public money has been wasted that could have been used for hydrogeological safety and housing plans.”
Among the crowd, some participants displayed Palestinian flags and wore keffiyeh scarves as they marched.
The demonstration route took protesters on a two-hour walk outside the security zone, starting at the historic 16th-century Porta Palio and ending at Arsenal Square from the 19th century.
This protest was smaller than an earlier demonstration in Milan that drew nearly 10,000 participants on the Games’ opening day and eventually became violent.