Rome, Oct 5 (V7N) – Italy witnessed a nationwide strike on Saturday in protest against the detention of the Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla ‘Global Sumud Flotilla.’ Millions of people, responding to calls from major labor unions and student organizations, took to the streets across the country.
 
Protests were reported in major cities including Rome, Naples, and Milan. In Rome, demonstrators set a vehicle on fire, while in Naples, railway stations were blocked, causing significant disruptions to transport. Schools and colleges were closed in Milan and Turin, and work at coastal ports was halted. Fire service personnel and prisoners also expressed solidarity with the strike.
 
Demonstrators demanded the release of detained flotilla members, the lifting of the blockade on Gaza, and a cessation of military and commercial relations with Israel.
 
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni dismissed the strike as a political spectacle, whereas opposition leaders criticized her stance, labeling it anti-Gaza and inhumane.
 
The strike caused widespread disruption across the country, highlighting public discontent over Italy’s position regarding humanitarian aid to Gaza and broader Middle East policy. Authorities reported several minor incidents of vandalism but no major injuries.
 
Organizers emphasized that the protest aimed to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to pressure the government to adopt policies aligned with international humanitarian law.
 
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