Politics
Thousands of students, workers and trade union members took to the streets across Italy to protest against rising inflation, soaring rents and inadequate public spending on education.
Thousands of students, workers and trade union members took to the streets across Italy to protest against rising inflation, soaring rents and inadequate public spending on education. Demonstrations were held in more than 40 cities on Friday, October 30. Protesters demanded better wages, improved public services and relief from the rising cost of living. They also opposed Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government policy of increasing military spending and allowing ports to be used for shipping weapons to conflict zones.
The nationwide demonstrations were part of a 24-hour strike called by the trade union Unione Sindacale di Base (USB). Protests remained peaceful in most locations, but tensions emerged between police and demonstrators in some cities. Police used water cannons at several locations to disperse crowds and restore order. According to Italy’s ANSA news agency, eight people were detained as police attempted to prevent a crowd from advancing towards parliament.
Students played a major role in the movement. For a long time, they have been demanding higher government spending on education, lower tuition fees and affordable student accommodation. Students have staged protests at schools and educational institutions in several Italian cities. In Rome, 21-year-old university student Beatrice Cililli told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that students could no longer afford high tuition fees and rent, placing an additional financial burden on their parents. According to her, renting a room for students in Rome can cost as much as €1,200 per month.
In the capital, Rome, thousands of demonstrators began marching from the central Termini railway station. The procession also included two tractors and a taxi. Carrying flags and banners, protesters marched past the Colosseum, chanting slogans and urging the government to meet their demands. One group of demonstrators raised the slogan, “We need more homes, not bombs.” Some protesters also staged a brief dramatic performance depicting the plight of civilians living in fear amid the bombardment of Gaza.
A major demonstration was also held in the port city of Genoa. Around 15,000 port workers, students and other protesters gathered in the port area. Their demands went beyond inflation and wages. They also opposed the use of commercial ports to transport weapons to war zones. Demonstrators raised concerns about the deaths of sailors caught up in conflicts stretching from the Gulf region to the Black Sea. They argued that commercial ports should not be used to ship weapons for wars.
