Dozens injured in nationwide Gaza solidarity strike in Italy

A national strike in Italy in solidarity with the inhabitants of Gaza caused generalized disruptions on Monday, delaying trains and hampering public transport in major cities, while clashes in Milan left dozens wounded.

In Milan, confrontations between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and police made at least 60 injured police officers, 23 of whom were hospitalized, police reports.

The number of injured demonstrators was not immediately available. Authorities said at least 10 people had been arrested.

Several long -distance trains have been delayed by more than an hour, and the buses and metro services in cities like Rome and Milan worked on reduced hours.

The troubles broke out following a rally organized as part of a national solidarity strike with the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip.

According to eyewitnesses, a group of demonstrators tried to make their way in Milan’s main station. Stones were also thrown from the crowd, while the police used batons and tear gas. The magnitude of the damage was not immediately clear.

Meloni blamed the “self -proclaimed members of antifa” AMD “self -proclaimed the pacifists” for the riots, who, according to her, were to devastate the station and cause clashes with the security forces.

“Violence and destruction that have nothing to do with solidarity and that will not change a single thing in the life of the people of Gaza,” wrote Meloni on X.

Rather, that would have “concrete consequences for Italian citizens, who will eventually suffer and pay the damage caused by these thugs,” she added.

Pro-Palestinian rallies have also taken place in other Italian cities, with tens of thousands of participants in total.

In Rome, the estimates suggest that more than 50,000 people have come down to the street.

The USB Union has organized the strike to protest against what it called for the worsening of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to demand sanctions against Israel.

The main Italian unions have not joined the action.