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A deafening chorus of blaring horns and port employees chanting “we don’t want you” welcomed an Israeli-owned cargo vessel when it docked in Livorno this week.

For 48 hours, the striking port laborers refused to back down, refusing to unload and reload the vessel’s freight in a act of strong support for the people of Gaza and the Global Sumud flotilla striving to bring aid to the besieged territory. The protest was a triumph and the ship, bound for the US and Canada, left the port.

Countrywide Harbor Protests Expand

From Genoa, Trieste and Ravenna in the north, to southern harbors in the south, in recent weeks dock laborers throughout the country have succeeded in blocking ships suspected to be transporting weapons for the Israeli military, as opposition to the country’s war in the Gaza Strip intensifies.

The dockers’ determination to block weapons and stifle trade has been a crucial component of the solidarity movement in the nation as demands mounts on Prime Minister Meloni’s far-right government to take a stronger stance against Israel.

“Israel is carrying out an extermination of civilians in Gaza – by taking lives, by starving them,” stated a port employee, Luca Simoni. “We cannot remain indifferent. We have always been a harbor of refuge, not one of conflict. We will continue protesting until this hostilities ends.”

National Walkout Adds Tension

On the end of the week, many people took to the streets after Cgil organized the latest nationwide walkout in under 14 days, shutting educational institutions, stalling traffic and causing disruption on mass transit and in healthcare. There were also impromptu demonstrations on midweek after Israeli forces stopped the aid convoy and arrested hundreds of activists, including the prominent campaigner the environmental advocate.

The event in the Tuscan port was the first time an Israeli ship carrying commercial goods had been blocked.

Popular Sentiment and Government Response

Latest polls show significant support among Italians – including a considerable portion of voters of the governing alliance – for the recognition of a Palestinian state and in favor of the humanitarian convoy.

Meloni has spoken against the deaths caused by Israel of Palestinians in the past few months, describing it as a “disproportionate” response to Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attacks, and has opened up to the country recognizing a sovereign Palestine, though with conditions. But she continues trying to maintain the delicate balance between being one of the strongest supporters of Israel in the European Union and a ally of Middle Eastern countries, all the while aligning with the line of the American leader, Donald Trump.

Still, she is aware of public opinion, especially with Italy in the midst of multiple local votes, and has attempted to exploit the demonstrations and aid mission to criticize her leftwing opponents.

The Prime Minister has described the convoy as “risky and reckless” and, despite the aid effort involving many participants from different countries, she said it was only aimed at “creating problems” for her government. She criticized the national walkout, accusing participants of undertaking “a extended break masquerading as a revolution” while stating the event was politically orchestrated and offered no real benefit to Gaza.

“The Meloni government can only survive with scapegoats,” stated a union leader, who leads the Livorno unit of Cgil. “There is also a great contradiction between what the Prime Minister claims and what she does,” he continued. “She speaks of being a great patriot, a Christian and a mother, but she has not taken any official steps to stop the massacre of civilian families.”

Government Standing Amid Protests

But despite the widespread popular feeling shown through the wave of solidarity demonstrations, the ruling party remains ahead in surveys, at approximately thirty percent, and she has led an uncharacteristically stable Italian government since taking office in October 2022.

“On one hand, there is the larger part of the population in supporting Gaza which desires an end to the war,” said a political analyst, a co-founder of YouTrend. “But you don’t see the effects of this when it time to cast ballots.”

Pregliasco referred to last week’s elections in the Marche region where the governing alliance won a another term. The similar result is expected in votes in Veneto and Calabria.

Pregliasco said there was “a real risk of the [Gaza] movement having an overly strong of a partisan association, which would distance people who are appalled with the war but who are not active supporters”.

Analyst Insights

Nadia Urbinati at an American university and the an Italian institution, said the reason why the effects of the protests were not being seen in elections was because only around fifty percent of the electorate participate in elections.

“And the ones who vote, vote for the right,” she said, noting that the Prime Minister could easily leverage the protests to disarm opponents.

She said any grassroots activism of the public was vulnerable to being infiltrated by antagonists, and suggested that this had been occurring in order to “criminalise and repress” the solidarity campaign.

Healthcare Professionals Participate

Susanna Romitelli in the capital, has attended several pro-Palestine protests in the city and participated in the rally near Piazza Vittorio on the strike day.

“Last night, there was an event held in medical facilities during which we honored the thousands of medics who died in the conflict zone while providing aid,” she said. “It was a very touching moment and we will keep organizing. You might not see it in political polls yet, but I think this government is starting to be very afraid of the people.”