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A piercing sound of honking vehicles and port employees shouting “you are not welcome” welcomed an Israel-linked container ship when it arrived in Livorno this week.

For two days, the protesting dockworkers refused to back down, declining to handle the vessel’s freight in a display of defiant solidarity for Palestinians and the Global Sumud flotilla striving to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The action was successful and the vessel, bound for the US and Canada, departed.

Countrywide Harbor Protests Spread

From Genoa, Trieste and Ravenna in the north, to southern harbors in the southern area, in the past few weeks dock laborers across Italy have succeeded in blocking vessels suspected to be transporting weapons for Israel, as resistance to the country’s war in Gaza intensifies.

The workers’ resolve to prevent arms shipments and stifle trade has been a key element of the solidarity movement in Italy as pressure increases on Prime Minister Meloni’s far-right government to take a stronger stance against Israel.

“Israel is carrying out an systematic destruction of people in Gaza – by taking lives, by starving them,” stated a port employee, one protester. “We must not stay silent. We have historically been a harbor of refuge, not one of war. We will keep demonstrating until this hostilities ends.”

General Strike Adds Pressure

On the end of the week, thousands took to the streets after Italy’s largest trade union called the latest nationwide walkout in less than two weeks, closing schools, stalling traffic and creating delays on public transport and in healthcare. There were also spontaneous protests on Wednesday night after military vessels stopped the aid convoy and detained numerous participants, including the well-known activist Greta Thunberg.

The incident in the Tuscan port was the initial instance an Israeli ship carrying commercial goods had been blocked.

Public Opinion and Government Response

Latest polls show strong backing among Italians – including a substantial share of supporters of the governing alliance – for the recognition of a Palestinian state and in support of the humanitarian convoy.

Meloni has spoken against the deaths caused by Israel of Palestinian people in recent months, describing it as a “disproportionate” response to Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attacks, and has opened up to the country recognizing a Palestinian state, though with conditions. But she still attempts to walk a fine line between being one of Israel’s staunchest allies in the European Union and a ally of Arab nations, all the while aligning with the line of the US president, Donald Trump.

Still, she is mindful of voter sentiment, especially with Italy in the midst of several regional elections, and has sought to exploit the demonstrations and aid mission to criticize her leftwing opponents.

The Prime Minister has characterized the convoy as “risky and reckless” and, despite the humanitarian mission involving hundreds of activists from different countries, she said it was only aimed at “creating problems” for her administration. She took a swipe at the national walkout, claiming participants of undertaking “a long weekend masquerading as a political uprising” while stating the event was organized for political reasons and offered no real benefit to the people of Gaza.

“The current administration can only remain in power with someone to blame,” stated Gianfranco Francese, who heads the local branch of the major trade union. “There is also a significant inconsistency between what the Prime Minister claims and what she does,” he continued. “She talks about being a great patriot, a Christian and a mother, but she has not taken any political or diplomatic action to halt the killing of civilian families.”

Political Stability Amid Protests

But despite the widespread popular feeling shown through the series of solidarity demonstrations, Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party remains ahead in surveys, at around 30%, and she has led an unusually steady Italian government since coming to power in late 2022.

“From one perspective, there is the majority of public opinion in supporting Gaza which wants an cessation to the conflict,” said a political analyst, a founder of a polling firm. “But you don’t see the effects of this when it time to cast ballots.”

The analyst referred to recent regional votes in the central area where Meloni’s coalition secured a another term. The similar result is anticipated in elections in Veneto and Calabria.

He said there was “a genuine danger of the pro-Palestinian activism having an overly strong of a partisan association, which would alienate people who are horrified with the war but who are not active supporters”.

Analyst Insights

A political scientist at an American university and the an Italian institution, said the reason why the effects of the protests were not being reflected in elections was because barely half of the electorate go to the polls.

“And those who do, support conservative parties,” she said, explaining that Meloni could easily leverage the protests to disarm rivals.

She said every spontaneous movement of citizens was vulnerable to being infiltrated by antagonists, and alleged that this had been happening in order to “criminalise and repress” the solidarity campaign.

Medical Professionals Join

A cardiologist in the capital, has joined several pro-Palestine protests in the city and participated in the rally near a central square on Friday.

“Last night, there was an initiative held in medical facilities during which we honored the thousands of medics who died in the conflict zone while providing aid,” she stated. “It was a deeply emotional occasion and we will keep organizing. You might not see it in political polls yet, but I believe this government is becoming deeply concerned of us.”