Italian Police Crack Down on Students Protesting Against Genocide in Gaza
Student protest in Turin, Italy, Dec. 13, 2024. X/ @PComuzzi
December 13, 2024 Hour: 9:42 am
They reject ‘the war economy’ imposed by Giorgia Meloni’s ‘reactionary and militaristic’ administration.
On Friday, police clashed with Italian students protesting in Turin during a general strike against the policies of far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
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“We are against the government, which does not care about young people. We are against imperialist war,” said one protester, as reported by ANSA.
“A genocide is taking place and whoever does not go out on the streets with us is an accomplice. We are teaching our teachers what it means to be human,” said one high school student.
Hundreds of people participated in the protests and gathered near the Polytechnic University of Turin, where the most intense confrontations occurred, leading to the arrest of one protester.
The violence escalated when demonstrators attempted to enter the Polytechnic, prompting additional police action to repel them. Violent clashes also broke out when students tried to march toward the headquarters of the Industrial Union.
The Young Communist Organization and the Alternative Student Opposition (OSA) organized the demonstration under the slogan “Stop Imperialism, Win the Future,” protesting against job insecurity and the war economy imposed by what they described as Meloni’s “reactionary and militaristic” administration.
The Turin demonstration coincided with a general strike called by the Base Union Confederation (USB) against Meloni’s policies. Similar tensions had already occurred in recent weeks in the city.
During the general strike on November 29, there were also intense clashes between police and demonstrators, who attempted to break through police barricades and ended up confronting officers with kicks and blows at a train station.
teleSUR/ JF Sources: EFE- ANSA