The Italian theater strike to support the Palestinians

The workers in Italy joined a strike on Friday, not for better salaries or conditions, but in solidarity with the people of Gaza.

The large crowds moved to the streets of multiple cities amid an increasing wave of protest throughout Europe in the bombing of Israel and the blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The Ministry of Interior in Italy says that up to 400,000 demonstrators came out in a total of 29 sites; Workers unions claim that the number was four times.

The anger this week intensified when the Israeli army took a fleet of boats full of politicians and European activists and stopped providing them with food and medical assistance to Gaza, where unaccounted experts confirmed famine in Gaza City and its surrounding areas.

Israel rejected the fleet as a promotional trick. There were more than 40 Italians on board.

Grand right -wing Prime Minister Georgia Meloni criticized the general strike, on the pretext that he would not lead to the Palestinian cause and only hinder the Italian people who are trying to walk in their lives. I suggested that trade unionists only want a long weekend.

Its deputy, Matteo Salvini, who called the illegal strike, announced without sufficient notice, and threatened penalties.

Large numbers, regardless, turned behind signs with slogans such as “stopping the massacre” and “my hands off the fleet!”

In many cities, including Milan and Bolonia, there were clashes, where the demonstrators throw stones at the police and then sprayed with tear gas.

In Pisa, a brightly colorful set of torches stormed the airport runway, and flights stopped for some time, while in Naples, you banned the port. In Turin, the demonstrators pulled metal barriers on the railway.

There were protests in other European cities as well, from The Hague to Madrid.

Here in Rome the main march was great, but it is peaceful.

The university teacher, Francesca, said: “Governments, especially the Italians, do not take measures against what is happening in Gaza,” explaining why they joined withdrawal.

Students at Sapienza University where they work in many colleges.

“We are here to say that it is time to intervene and solve things,” said Francesca.

Outside the Termini railway station, a small tents camp grew up with a mark announcing its title called “Piazza Gaza”. Nearby, it was a giant statue of Pope John Paul II wearing a Palestinian scarf.

After walking quietly, and through the center of the capital, a portion of the crowd was briefly occupied by part of the highway around Rome. It is waving the giant Palestinian flags and carrying flames.

“This is the best way for our country. Italy is better than the people now in the government,” opposition leader Eli Shelin told the BBC at the beginning of the Rome march.

The leader of the Democratic Party argued that the Prime Minister in Italy had failed to invite the “Israeli government crimes” in Gaza, as you see it, and described it as a “shame” that did not join Italy’s increasing number of countries now recognizes the Palestinian state.

Israel has described this step by many of the same “shame”.

Georgia Meloni took a recognition by its government conditional on the release of all Israeli hostages and excluding Hamas from the government. It also emphasizes Italy’s support for Peace proposal in Gaza It was previously developed by its close ally and the main motive of Israel, President Donald Trump.

But Meloni recently talked about “many innocent victims” in Gaza and said that the response of the Benjamin Netanyahu government to Hamas terrorist attacks for the year 2023 “exceeded the principle of proportionality.”

“This is dangerous. Certainly, the entire Gaza issue was under pressure on Meloni. I actually changed the government’s position to be more critical to Israel,” Professor Giovanni Ursena, a political scientist at Louis University.

It indicates that the Catholic public opinion is “angry” from the events in Gaza. The most important of all, although he sees that the wave of protest “wakes up” from the leftist forces of Italy.

“It is a very clear demonstration that there is an increase in militancy and includes a very large number of people. The government is under pressure and I think it is nervous.”

As a trade unionist, students and activists were still walking in multiple cities, where the four Italian politicians who were arrested on the aid fleet to Gaza in Rome fell.

It was deported by IsraelThey were received at the airport with warm hugs of the family and colleagues.

More than 40 of his Italian colleagues are still in reservation.

The Flotilla aid shipment was confiscated and reached Gaza and Benedita Scuderi, MEP for the Green Left Alliance, is still called a “great achievement”.

“Many of us went because we felt impotence, and that we were unable to do anything about what was happening in Gaza,” she told the BBC after a period of landing at home. “I would like to think he has given some hope to the population.”

“Everything about the fleet, protests, and strikes – they are huge. We have not seen them for a long time and I do not think that any responsible government can pretend anything.”