Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Italy in one of Europe’s largest nationwide protests against Israel’s offensive in Gaza. The demonstrations, which shut schools, disrupted trains, and blocked ports and roads, were called by grassroots unions for a 24-hour general strike in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
Clashes broke out in Milan when dozens of protesters dressed in black and armed with batons tried to smash the main entrance of the city’s central train station. They threw smoke bombs, bottles, and stones at police, who responded with pepper spray. In Bologna, police used water cannon to disperse demonstrators blocking a main road. More than 10 people were arrested in Milan and about 60 police officers suffered injuries, according to Italy’s Ansa news agency.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence, stating: “Violence and destruction have nothing to do with solidarity and won’t change a thing in the lives of people in Gaza.” Her far-right government has adopted a cautious stance on the war, distancing itself from the coordinated move by France and other countries to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN general assembly.
In Rome, more than 20,000 people gathered outside Termini train station waving Palestinian flags and chanting “free Palestine”. Organisers said 50,000 turned out in Milan, and police in Bologna put the figure there at over 10,000. Protesters called on the government to suspend commercial and military cooperation with Israel and expressed support for the Global Sumud Flotilla, an initiative seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade and deliver aid to Gaza.
The protests come as the Israeli military has intensified its operation in Gaza, where it has killed more than 65,000 people over the last 23 months. A former Israeli army commander confirmed that over 200,000 Palestinians had been killed or injured in the war, which began in response to the 7 October attack.
