Italy paralysed by nationwide strike in solidarity with intercepted Gaza aid flotilla

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Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Italy in a general strike in solidarity with the people of Gaza and the aid flotilla, which was intercepted by the Israeli military before it reached the Strip.

The strike action, primarily organised by Italy’s largest trade union CGIL has paralysed the country, disrupting ports and road traffic.

Hundreds of trains were cancelled or delayed, as were several domestic flights, and many private and public schools closed.

CGIL estimated around 100,000 people had taken part in the protest in Milan, but local police put that figure at 50,000, the Rai news agency said.

Demonstrators in Milan filled the Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Free Palestine”.

Meanwhile, 40,000 people marched from the ferry terminal to the city centre in Genoa, and at least 10,000 protested in Brescia.

Thousands blocked the A4 motorway toll plaza in Vicenza, and marches cut off access routes to Venice’s historic centre.

In the capital Rome, the central train station reported cancellations of some services and delays of up to 80 minutes on others. More than 10,000 protesters sealed off the port in Naples, while ports in Livorno and Salerno were also blocked.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini slammed the strike as “unlawful” and called for tougher penalties.

“Those who organise illegal strikes must pay for the damages,” he said.

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said that blocking access to public transport “will not bring relief to Palestinians.”

Protesters also approached the gates of the Italian football team’s training centre in Florence to demand that its upcoming World Cup qualifier against Israel not be played because of the war in Gaza.

Italy is scheduled to host Israel in Udine on 14 October, but UEFA is considering suspending Israel over the war.

The players were not at the Coverciano training centre in Florence, but the squad will convene there on Monday.

CGIL Secretary General Maurizio Landini defended the strike as “fully legitimate” and pledged to push back against an official ruling that it was illegal because organisers didn’t give sufficient advance notice.

“We are guaranteeing minimum services and will appeal,” he said.

Flotilla intercepted

By Friday, Israeli forces had intercepted all of the 43 ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and arrested most of the 450 activists on board, according to information from Israeli authorities.

The last boat in the flotilla, the Marinette, had been trailing behind the rest of the vessels and was still sailing to the Palestinian territory in the early hours of Friday, a day after the Israeli navy stormed 41 other boats and detained the activists, saying they would be deported.

The flotilla, which was carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid to Gaza, was the largest attempt so far to try and break Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

Israel’s interceptions started on Wednesday night and continued through Thursday as boat by boat was stopped off Gaza’s shore and the activists, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla, were detained.

Among the activists detained were four Italian parliamentarians who were swiftly deported back to Rome on Friday. They were among the first to have been flown out of Israel, according to available information.

“We had a very difficult night, now we must bring everyone home,” Marco Croatti, an Italian opposition lawmaker, told journalists after landing in Rome from Tel Aviv.

In Israel’s southern port of Ashdod, the country’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was filmed visiting the site where activists were being processed ahead of their deportations.

He accused the flotilla participants of supporting “terrorism,” and aboard one of the seized boats, mocked the activists’ aid initiative.