In various Italian cities, port workers are on strike, attempting to prevent the transportation of weapons to Israel. In Genoa, Livorno, and Trieste, they blocked ports, while in the center of Milan, a pro-Palestinian protest escalated into clashes with police, who used tear gas, UNN reports with reference to Reuters.
Details
On Monday, September 22, striking port workers blocked access roads to Italian ports. They say they "aim to prevent Italy from being used as a transshipment point for weapons and other supplies to Israel, which is at war with Hamas in Gaza."
Riot police used tear gas and clashed with demonstrators near Milan's central station
At the same time, Italian media report that demonstrators tried to stop traffic on the highway near the city of Bologna. In Naples, clashes with police occurred when protesters forcibly broke through to the main railway station. Some of them briefly went onto the tracks, causing transport delays, the publication writes.
Protests took place in many Italian cities. Due to union strikes, schools were closed and public transport was partially stopped.
In Genoa, several hundred protesters gathered around the port, waving the Palestinian flag. On the coast in Livorno, the entrance to the port was blocked by protesting workers. A similar protest also took place in Trieste, in the northeast.
The Palestinian people continue to give us another lesson in dignity and resistance. We learn from them and try to contribute
Due to the strikes, some regional trains to Rome were delayed or canceled, but the subway operated as usual. In Milan, Italy's financial center, most subway lines also remained open.
Today's strike causes only a limited number of train cancellations. The political mobilization of far-left trade unionists cannot harm millions of workers
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government traditionally supports Israel in Europe and rules out following the example of other Western countries by recognizing a Palestinian state, the publication notes.
Recall
Earlier, UNN wrote that Israel had reinforced its ground, air, and naval forces for the period of the Jewish New Year celebration, which will last from September 22 to mid-October. This decision was made after an investigation into the events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants took advantage of minimal troop presence.