A-Infos (en) Italy, Umanita Nova #27-25 - This is how solidarity works. Marches and demonstrations in Milan (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

As early as the late afternoon of Wednesday, October 1st, as soon as 
news of the attack and arrest of the Flotilla crew broke, thousands of 
protesters marched, starting from Piazza Della Scala, renamed Piazza 
Gaza, where protest tents had been set up for several days. The march 
continued through the city center until midnight. On Thursday, October 
2nd, the University of Milan was occupied by the student movement from 
the morning, continuing the protest with an evening meeting in Piazzale 
Loreto, where a largely youth-led march, marching for 50 minutes, wound 
through the city center streets until converging in Piazza del Duomo, 
which was completely packed with protesters. That same night, from 9:00 
PM onward, Milan's main hospitals were occupied by hundreds of residents 
and healthcare workers, who turned on lights in remembrance of the 
countless healthcare workers killed in the Israeli government's bombings 
in Gaza.

On October 3rd, the same thing happened with the general strike of 
September 22nd. A raging river filled the streets of Milan in outraged 
response to the criminal Netanyahu government's violent attack on the 
Flotilla, in international waters and in defiance of international law, 
interrupting their peaceful humanitarian mission. Despite the bombastic 
threats of Transport Minister Salvini, the mockery of the charming Prime 
Minister Meloni, and the declarations of illegality from the Strike 
Commission-all highly intimidating actions-the general strike of October 
3rd was a resounding success. This was demonstrated by the huge turnout 
for the march, which took a long time to set off from Porta Venezia, the 
main gathering point. The same characteristics as the demonstration of 
September 22nd, with the benefit of the rainless weather, and the same 
joyful and enthusiastic turnout. Here too, the participation of young 
students, alongside workers, was very high. Many union flags were 
present, from USB to CUB, CGIL, USI CIT, FAI, and anarchist groups. 
Groups of young students often passed by, climbing onto bus shelters and 
shouting slogans of solidarity with the Palestinian people against 
Salvini and Meloni. Once they reached Piazzale da Vinci, where the 
demonstration was supposed to end, the bulk of the march continued and, 
thanks to the sheer number of participants, secured passage until they 
reached the ring road, blocking the road for a long time. Subsequently, 
in the most central part of the city, a spontaneous march regrouped, 
only to be attacked by the police with water cannons. A total of one 
hundred thousand participants were reported.

Let's try to consider some of the significance of these popular 
mobilizations.

These crowded squares, these highly attended protest movements, these 
general strikes opposed by the political authorities but so successful, 
are the best response that could have been given to the criminal 
Netanyahu, to his protector Trump, and to the complicity of the Meloni 
government. They are the best form of solidarity with the Palestinian 
population, subjected to a cynical genocide, and the best support for 
the humanitarian and political mission of the Flotilla, so violently 
attacked and stopped, as was unfortunately feared. Faced with the 
inertia of governments subservient to the arrogance of Trump and 
Netanyahu, the mission of the international Flotilla, bypassing their 
respective governments, has aroused great enthusiasm and great hope 
around the world. But the real strength, the true support for the 
mission undertaken by the Flotilla, is ourselves, our ability to 
mobilize, the strikes, the boycotts, the widespread blockades-all of 
which are happening. This popular movement, made up of workers, men and 
women, and students united in struggle, opens up real prospects at the 
international level for a just peace in Palestine, which cannot exist 
without a finally free Palestine. If we succeed in this colossal 
undertaking, it means we have taken the right path to stop the wars and 
the obsessive rearmament of all governments that are leading us into an 
era of widespread poverty and destruction.

e.m.

https://umanitanova.org/la-solidarieta-si-fa-cosi-cortei-e-mobilitazioni-a-milano/
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