Two million people took the streets in Italy this Friday, Oct. 3 in a general strike to protest the genocide in Gaza and Israel’s illegal capture of the Global Sumud Flotilla. The striking workers were joined by hundreds of thousands more in Europe, Australia, Africa, South and North America, and Asia.
More than 250,000 marched in Cape Town, South Africa. Fifteen thousand demonstrators chanted “Gaza, you are not alone,” “Boycott Israel,” and “Freedom for Palestine” in Barcelona, Spain. Protests also erupted in cities across Australia, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Turkey, England, France, Morocco, Malaysia, Sweden, Switzerland, Pakistan, the Philippines, Venezuela, India, Libya, and more, and from coast to coast across the United States. In some cities, protesters were suppressed and arrested by police forces.
These strikes mark a turning point in the movement for Palestine within organized labor globally.
The general strike in Italy was the second called by Italian unions after a strike on Sept. 22 in response to the first Israeli attack on the Flotilla. This is an unprecedented display of solidarity for the people of Gaza, and for the nearly 500 activists of the Sumud Flotilla who were attacked and abducted by the Israeli Navy for the “crime” of bringing baby formula, food and medicine to a starving people.
In Italy, it is estimated that 60% of the population participated in the strike, and key sectors of the Italian economy shut down operations to demand an arms embargo and an immediate end to the genocide in Gaza.
When the Sumud Flotilla set sail, Riccardo Rudino of the Autonomous Dockworkers’ Collective said at a vigil in Genoa, Italy “if we lose contact with our boats … even for just 20 minutes, we will shut down all of Europe.” His words proved true on Friday.
Union dockworkers shut down the docks so that ships delivering arms to Israel could not leave ports. Schools and universities were shut down due to the mass amount of teacher and student participation. Retired workers and families with small children also joined the strike. Public transit came to a halt. Metalworkers and government employees joined the call.
Even journalists reporting on the state-funded television show TG3 spoke in support of the striking workers, saying “TG3 journalists share the reasons for today’s general strike in support of the people of Gaza…. the choice to work on this day is due to the need to give visibility to the ongoing demonstrations.” The 12 o’clock edition did not air due to journalists and studio technicians in Milan joining the strike.
“This is not just any strike. We’re here today to defend brotherhood among individuals, among peoples, to put humanity back at the center, to say no to genocide, to a policy of rearmament,” said Maurizio Landini, leader of the Italian General Confederation of Labour.
The primary slogan of the general strike was Blocchiamo tutto, or “Let’s Block Everything.” Dockworkers have a long tradition of solidarity strikes, but such a massive general strike led by unionized workers not for their own working conditions or wages, but in an act of international solidarity with an oppressed nation and against their own government’s imperial interests, is something new. The Italian government is closely allied with the governments of both Israel and the United States.
In Florence, protesters rallied outside the Italian soccer team’s training center, to demand an upcoming World Cup qualifier against Israel not to proceed because of the war in Gaza. Across the street from the center, they held a banner that read in Italian “Let’s stop Zionism with the resistance.” A protester spoke into a microphone “How can you still allow Israel, a Zionist and criminal state, to play soccer games?”
Workers in Italy are using their labor power to defend Gaza when their government won’t. They are inspiring the world to connect their economic power as workers to the fate of Gaza, and make the genocide a global issue that can no longer be fueled or ignored by the ruling class.
The establishment media in the United States has barely covered both the Italian strikes and the kidnapping of the Flotilla activists, which included activists from the United States, like musicians Carsie Blanton and Leila Hegazy, and U.S. veteran Greg Stoker.
The Global Sumud Flotilla was a peaceful, non-violent convoy of 42 boats carrying food, baby formula, medicine, and nearly 500 volunteers from 47 countries with the goal of breaking the blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Between Oct. 1 and Oct. 3, all vessels in the flotilla were attacked by the Israeli Navy, being “assaulted with water cannons, doused with skunk water, and had their communications systematically jammed.” Several boats were also reportedly stopped with a chain-like barrier in international and Palestinian waters, all of which is a clear violation of international law and a war crime.
While Israeli Navy vessels were busy attacking the flotilla, reports from Gaza show Palestinian fishermen were able to fish in the sea without being shot at by Israeli soldiers for the first time in two years.
Kidnapped activists were taken to Ashdod port in Israel. Some have been released but hundreds remain in captivity in unknown locations. Israeli officials continue to lie and smear the humanitarian effort. Turkish Sumud Flotilla activist Ersin Celik has reported that popular Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was beaten, dragged by her hair, denied sufficient food and water, and forced to kiss the Israeli flag as a warning to the other activists.
The Global Sumud Flotilla organization has already begun planning the next Flotilla, and ‘“vows to keep sailing until ‘Palestine is free.’” Their next mission, “Thousand Madleens to Gaza,” will deploy 1,000 ships to break the siege.
Over 4 million emails have been sent by supporters of the Flotilla contacting their elected representatives demanding the safe return of the kidnapped activists. Find your representative at this link and join them.
More demonstrations are being called in Italy and Spain. The Palestinian Youth Movement, ANSWER — Act Now to Stop War and End Racism — Coalition and other allied organizations have called for an international day of action on Oct 5.
As millions strike and protest in the streets, as boycotts strengthen, and as public opinion within both the working and ruling classes shift, it is clear the tides of history will not only bring more fleets to Gaza, but that Gaza is our global compass. Gaza directs our struggle, and guides the conscience of the world. We will not stop until Palestine is free!
Feature photo: Screenshot from USB Unione Sindacale Di Base pag. nazionale livestream
