Italian authorities have banned a pro‑Palestinian solidarity event planned for Tuesday evening in Bologna to mark Oct. 7, citing public order and safety concerns.
The demonstration, slated for Piazza Nettuno and organized by the Palestinian Youth group in Bologna, included a call praising “the resistance” and shouting “Long live Oct. 7! Long live the Palestinian resistance."
Authorities said the gathering would “absolutely be prohibited” and warned of enforcement measures should it proceed.
The event’s invitation, published on Instagram by the group, described the Oct. 7 assault as “a crushing blow to Zionism” and celebrated resistance as ongoing over a two‑year struggle against what the post called “colonial, murderous Zionist forces.”
Bologna police and the city’s mayor denounced the planned event. Local law enforcement said that allowing it would require public safety interventions. The mayor called the initiative “an act of hatred that harms the Palestinian people and the broader peace movement,” and affirmed the city’s commitment to nonviolent advocacy.
The ban comes amid a wave of pro‑Palestinian protests in Italy. In Rome on Saturday, authorities estimated 250,000 people demonstrated near the Colosseum, though organizers claimed as many as one million. Clashes erupted late in the protest when some attendees set cars aflame, threw fireworks, and confronted police; at least 12 arrests were made.
Other recent demonstrations across Italy have involved tens or hundreds of thousands of people and included slogans praising Hamas and the Oct. 7 attack.
The Jewish community in Milan plans a private, discreet commemoration in response to security concerns, choosing not to announce its location publicly.