Several Italian cities witnessed a wide general strike on Monday, September 22, 2025, in solidarity with the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, under the slogan “Let everything stop… Palestine is in our hearts.”
The strike was led by the USB (Unione Sindacale di Base), along with other grassroots labor unions. It was joined by student movements and social organizations that raised their voices against the ongoing aggression on Gaza.
The strike affected vital sectors, including public transport and railways, resulting in extensive delays and cancellations. Schools and universities were also involved, with teachers and students participating, in addition to ports and public services, where some activities came to a halt.
Participation extended to several cities across Italy, most notably Rome, Milan, Naples, Bologna, and Florence, where mass marches and protests were held in front of government offices and foreign embassies.
Protesters raised Palestinian flags and banners with slogans such as “Stop arms shipments” and “No to complicity with the occupation,” stressing that their main demands center on halting Italian arms exports to “Israel”, and urging the government and the EU to adopt a clear political stance that pressures toward ending what they described as “the genocide in Gaza.”
The events resonated widely at both the local and international levels, with hashtags in support of the strike spreading online, while some Italian media outlets described the move as the largest political solidarity strike the country has seen in recent years. Meanwhile, the Italian government remained silent, while leftist forces expressed support for the popular demands.
Thus, the strike carried a strong message: solidarity with Palestine is no longer just slogans, but has become a tangible action reflecting the presence of the Palestinian cause on the agendas of wide sectors of the Italian people.
