Italy woke up to a day of disruption as CGIL and USB unions staged a general strike in solidarity with the Gaza Flotilla. From early morning, trains were canceled, buses ran late, and traffic gridlocked major cities. Schools reported empty classrooms, while marches and rallies filled the streets with chants against Israel and what protesters called Western “complicity.”

The strike followed a tense buildup. In Turin, a pro-Palestinian march targeted the Officine Grandi Riparazioni, where Ursula von der Leyen and Jeff Bezos are due to appear. Broken windows and graffiti led to police charges. Similar incidents, though smaller in scale, occurred in Milan, Bologna, and Naples.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni dismissed the action as “a needless source of disruption,” while Salvini condemned it as “political exploitation.” The Interior Ministry instructed local prefects to safeguard public order and prevent blockades. CGIL leader Maurizio Landini defended the strike: “This is not about holiday weekends, it’s about lives under the bombs. The squares will speak for themselves.”

The Strike Commission had already declared the protest unlawful for failing to respect the required notice period and for involving essential services, but unions pressed ahead. The day has become a political litmus test: a show of civil resistance for unions, a challenge of authority for the government.

Much will depend on how the hours unfold. If demonstrations remain peaceful, the strike will be remembered as political protest. If violence spreads, the government’s hardline stance will gain renewed momentum.