Thousands Flood Sardinian Streets Waving Palestinian Flags as General Strike Grips Italy

Thousands of protesters packed a narrow city street, waving Palestinian and Sardinian flags, as a general strike against the rising cost of living and military spending brought crowds out across Italy on Friday, October 30.

Footage filmed from inside the march shows a dense crowd of students, workers and families, some carrying young children, filling the street from wall to wall between tall pastel buildings, with red flags and Palestinian banners waving above their heads as far as the eye can see.

The strike was called by the grassroots union USB over the high cost of living, low wages and spending on weapons, with marches in Cagliari, Sassari and Nuoro on the island. In Cagliari alone, more than 15,000 people marched from Piazza Garibaldi to the port behind a banner reading “Lower the weapons, raise the wages,” and chanted for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to resign, local media reported. Police put the turnout at 3,000.

Many Palestinian flags were carried in solidarity with Gaza, and the march passed off peacefully, with shops along the route staying open, according to ANSA.