Naples – Republic of Palestine
In a powerful display of growing grassroots support for Palestine across Europe, the Italian city of Naples witnessed a mass demonstration bringing together more than 10,000 participants. The protest was called by the “Naples Network for Palestine,” with broad participation from Palestinian communities and local solidarity movements.
The demonstration took place in the context of commemorations marking Italy’s liberation from fascism, with participants emphasizing that anti-fascism cannot be separated from anti-Zionism and anti-racism. Speakers and protesters framed the struggle against colonialism as a continuation of historic resistance movements against oppression.
Demonstrators raised Palestinian, Lebanese, and Iranian flags, chanting in support of Palestinian resistance and condemning the ongoing genocide and starvation imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Participants also denounced what they described as the complicity of the Italian government and its allies in sustaining Israeli policies.
Sharp criticism was directed at international corporations, including MSC, which protesters identified as part of a broader economic system that perpetuates exploitation, inequality, and the deprivation of rights, both in Palestine and globally.
Speakers stressed that solidarity with Palestine must move beyond symbolic gestures and evolve into concrete political and economic pressure, particularly through support for boycott efforts and confronting structures linked to colonial domination.
Participants also expressed strong solidarity with Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons, highlighting their struggle as a central dimension of the broader confrontation with the colonial system, and calling for intensified international action for their freedom.
Organizers noted that the scale of the mobilization reflects a significant shift within Italian society, where Palestine is increasingly becoming a central issue in political and public discourse—especially among progressive movements, trade unions, and student groups.
The demonstration concluded with a call to sustain and expand mobilization efforts, including participation in upcoming actions such as the May 1 protest in Bagnoli, reaffirming a continued commitment to struggle against colonialism and its global allies.
