Italy saw sweeping protests on Monday as trade unions declared a 24-hour general strike in solidarity with the Palestinians, triggering major disruptions in transportation and daily life. Demonstrations were held in 75 cities nationwide.
Public transit was paralyzed in many areas, with buses, trains and subways halted or severely disrupted, causing massive traffic jams across the country. Several schools were also closed in connection with the strike. Clashes broke out at the University of Turin during protests there.
Italy protests
In Genoa, workers blocked access routes to the city’s port to stop ships from docking, saying the move was aimed at preventing Italy from serving as a transit point for weapons bound for Israel. Protesters waved Palestinian flags and chanted against Israel.
“The Palestinian people continue to give us a lesson in dignity and resistance. We learn from them and try to do our part,” said Ricky, one of the demonstrators. Workers also blocked entry to the port of Livorno in Tuscany.
The largest rallies took place in Milan, Rome, Genoa, Naples, Palermo and Turin. Tens of thousands marched with signs reading “For the liberation of Palestine” and “Israel is a terrorist state.” In Rome, demonstrators called to “stop the killing in Gaza.”
Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini downplayed the impact of the protests, saying they were organized by trade unions linked to the far left.
Israel’s ambassador to Italy, Jonathan Feld, responded: “Taking to the streets for peace is a noble choice. But when a protest platform is one-sided and disregards the concerns of others, demonstrations risk becoming another stage for political propaganda, potentially playing into Hamas’s hands. Instead, the suffering must be recognized in full. It is sad to see how, in today’s demonstrations, the pain of Israelis and the lives of the hostages were completely forgotten.”
