ROME/MAILAND - Under the pretext of solidarity with Gaza, a general strike called by grassroots trade unions degenerated into massive disruptions and sometimes serious outbreaks of violence in large parts of Italy on Monday. What was billed as a political protest turned into scenes that Senate President Ignazio La Russa described as "disgraceful urban guerrilla warfare". The situation was particularly dramatic in Milan, where the main train station became the scene of riots.
Violent riots in Milan - government condemns violence
In Milan, demonstrators attempted to storm the central station, destroying the glass façade of the entrance and attacking the police with stones, bottles and sticks. The police had to respond with a massive deployment of tear gas to push back the rioters. The chaotic scenes led to panicked tourists climbing over fences to escape the station. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the images "unworthy" and declared: "Violence and destruction have nothing to do with solidarity and will have concrete consequences for Italian citizens, who will end up paying for the damage caused by these hooligans." She called for a clear condemnation by the organizers and all political forces and expressed her full solidarity with the police officers who were attacked. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also strongly condemned the violence: "This is not helping the Palestinian civilian population, but only harming our own economy."
Nationwide blockades and disruptions
The unrest was not an isolated incident in Milan. In Rome, tens of thousands of demonstrators paralyzed parts of the city's traffic. In Bologna, rioters forced their way onto the A14 highway and blocked it, while in Naples train tracks were occupied and pictures of Prime Minister Meloni were burned. The important ports in Genoa, Livorno and Marghera were also blockaded. The mayor of Milan, Beppe Sala, also distanced himself unequivocally: "Today's vandalism, caused by violent fringe groups, cannot be justified and certainly does not help the cause in Gaza." The broad political condemnation of the violence shows that the perpetrators have gone far beyond the call of duty with their actions.
