Khaberni - Pro-Palestine protesters organized a stand in front of the Italian national team's training center on Friday evening, demanding the cancellation of the upcoming Italy vs. Israel match in World Cup qualifiers, amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
The demonstration was part of a general strike that included more than two million people across Italy, according to the country's largest labor union. The protesters also linked their action to Israeli forces preventing a humanitarian aid mission to Gaza.
The Italian team is scheduled to host its Israeli counterpart in the city of Udine on October 14th, amidst news of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) considering suspending Israel’s participation.
The Italian players were not present at the Coverciano training center in Florence at the time of the protest, and are due to join the camp on Monday.
The demonstrators raised a banner written in Italian: "Let's Stop Zionism with Resistance," while one of the protest leaders shouted through a megaphone, saying: "How is Israel, the criminal Zionist state, allowed to continue playing matches?"
Scores of demonstrations have taken place in Italian cities since last Wednesday, following the interception by the Israeli navy of the ship "Fleet of Steadfastness," and the arrest of its activists.
In Milan, limited clashes broke out after protesters pelted the police with bottles, and security forces responded with smoke bombs.
The general strike paralyzed part of everyday life, with many schools closed, hundreds of trains and domestic flights canceled or delayed, and some highways shut down.
It is worth mentioning that Italy faced Israel in Udine in October 2024 in the Nations League, and the match ended with a 4-1 victory for the Italian team despite similar protests preceding the meeting, amid tightened security measures.
