ROME – Italy faced widespread disruption on Monday, September 22, 2025, as a coalition of major unions, including the USB and CUB, launched a 24-hour general strike to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and official Italian recognition of a Palestinian state.
The strike brought train services, buses, and schools to a standstill across the country. The most significant actions occurred in port cities, where dockworkers in Genoa and Livorno blockaded shipping terminals to prevent the transit of arms shipments to Israel, explicitly linking their labor action to the ongoing conflict.
Tens of thousands of protesters marched in demonstrations held in more than 60 Italian cities. The scale of the protests highlighted deep public concern over the war, which according to United Nations figures cited by organizers has claimed over 41,000 lives.
The peaceful demonstrations were marred by isolated violence in Milan, where clashes broke out between a segment of protesters and police. Authorities reported that dozens of officers were injured in the confrontations.
In response, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence and firmly rejected the strikers’ central political demand. Reaffirming her government’s stance, she stated that Italy would not recognize Palestinian statehood. Her position was echoed by supporters online, with an account named “The British Patriot” quoting her as saying, “We will defend our identity!.. We will defend God, the homeland, and our family,” adding, “Italy will not bend the knee.”
The strike represents one of the largest coordinated actions in Europe aimed at influencing Western policy toward the Israel-Gaza conflict, underscoring the domestic political pressure the issue creates for European governments.
