ROME: Tens of thousands of people protested on Monday (Sep 22) across Italy as part of a day of action to “denounce the genocide in Gaza”, which included transport strikes and port blockades.
The demonstrations came the same day as France and other countries prepared to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, following recognition by the UK, Australia and Canada on Sunday.
Italy’s hard-right government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said it will not recognise a Palestinian state for now.
In Rome, some 20,0000 people gathered in front of the main Termini train station, according to local police, many of them students, shouting “Free Palestine!” and holding up Palestinian flags.
Some had marched via the Colosseum, those at the front holding up a giant banner saying “Against Genocide. Let’s block everything.”
At Termini station, Michelangelo, 17, told AFP he was there to support “a population that is being exterminated”.
Francesca Tecchia, 18, was protesting “for the first time”, because “what is happening (in Gaza) is too important”, she said.
“Italy must come to a standstill today,” said Federica Casino, a 52-year-old worker protesting with the students for Gaza’s “dead children and destroyed hospitals”.
“Italy talks but does nothing,” she said.
