report by Nina Vaclavikova
Thousands of people took part in protests across Trieste on Friday in solidarity with Gaza and the international flotilla campaign, in demonstrations that briefly disrupted traffic and led to tense moments near the city’s train station.
The largest march, organized by the national trade union CGIL together with student groups, drew between 3,500 and 4,000 participants, according to police estimates. Protesters walked from Via Giulia through central streets to Piazza Oberdan, carrying Palestinian flags and banners reading “Stop the massacre in Gaza” and “Free Palestine.” The march concluded around midday without major incidents.
At the same time, about 500 demonstrators from the grassroots union USB blocked access to the Varco IV entrance of Trieste’s commercial port, halting truck traffic and forcing police to divert heavy vehicles. Authorities closed the main access road to the docks while the protest continued into the afternoon.
The demonstrations were part of a broader general strike called nationwide, but in Trieste they highlighted the city’s symbolic role as both a port hub and a site of political activism.
