Mass mobilizations in support of Palestine have swept across Europe in early October 2025, with Italy emerging as a focal point for unprecedented displays of solidarity and organized resistance. Over the course of October 3rd and 4th, millions of people participated in general strikes, blockades, and marches, culminating in some of the largest demonstrations on the continent in recent years. According to Red Flag and reports from various activist organizations, these actions were catalyzed by Israel’s attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla—a civilian convoy carrying European workers and activists intent on breaking the blockade of Gaza.
In Spain, the outpouring of support reached remarkable levels. On October 4th and 5th, approximately 500,000 people marched through Madrid, while Barcelona saw 300,000 join the ranks of demonstrators. The scale was described by many as the largest pro-Palestinian demonstration in Spanish history. The streets were filled with members of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign, student organizations, and feminist collectives, including the March 8 Initiative. As reported by organizers, the message was unequivocal: “We demand the end of the genocide and freedom for the Palestinian people. There is no freedom while lives are under attack, solidarity is criminalized, and truth is silenced.”
While these mass gatherings were impressive, the epicenter of Europe’s solidarity movement was arguably Italy. Here, a wave of rebellion had been building since early September, when 50,000 people in Genoa rallied to send off the Global Sumud Flotilla. That demonstration was more than symbolic—it was a warning. Dockworkers, organized under the Autonomous Port Workers Collective (CALP), pledged that if the flotilla were attacked, they would lead a strike to “block everything”—a call that was quickly echoed by the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB), one of Italy’s influential base unions.
The events that followed proved this was no empty threat. On September 22, a general strike organized by the base unions drew significant participation, laying the groundwork for what was to come. The attack on the flotilla on October 1st became a flashpoint, sparking spontaneous protests across major Italian cities, with thousands taking to the streets late at night. In Florence, protesters gathered in city squares well past midnight, while in Milan and Turin, clashes with police and blockades of stations and roads erupted almost immediately.
As the momentum grew, Italy’s main union federation, the CGIL, which had initially hesitated to join the movement, was compelled to back the call for a general strike on October 3rd. According to Red Flag, this shift was considered a major victory for the movement, ensuring that the strike would be historic in both scale and impact. The CGIL later reported that 60 percent of workers participated, with especially strong turnout in education, transport, logistics, and the metalworking industries.
Student activism formed the backbone of the mobilization’s energy and militancy. On the morning of October 3rd, high school and university students blockaded campuses across Florence, with the University of Florence’s via Laura campus singled out for its ties to Israel. The blockade quickly escalated into an occupation, as hundreds of students entered classrooms, chanting and urging others to join. As one activist told Red Flag, the movement was marked by a spirit of unity and determination: “Forward together; united in the struggle; against imperialism; there will be victory!”
The day’s actions did not end on campus. That evening, thousands marched through Florence’s city center before heading to the main train station, Santa Maria Novella. There, protesters faced riot police, but after a tense standoff punctuated by flashbang grenades and firecrackers, the crowd surged forward, occupying train platforms and tracks. Similar scenes played out across Italy, with a 24-hour railway strike beginning at 9 p.m. and blockades shutting down ports, highways, and even airports.
On October 4th, the movement reached its zenith. Rome became the stage for Italy’s largest demonstration since the Iraq War protests of 2003, with an estimated one million people flooding the streets. The city’s metro was packed with rally-goers, and every side street along the march route was filled. As reported by Red Flag, the sheer size of the demonstration was staggering: “It felt like the whole world was protesting there in Rome; a never-ending sea of humanity which, despite walking up and down for hours, I never saw the start or the end of.”
The protests in Italy were remarkable not only for their scale but for their militancy and the breadth of their demands. Protesters called for an immediate end to the violence in Gaza, an embargo on arms shipments to Israel, and an end to what they described as the criminal complicity of the Meloni government. Potere al Popolo, a left-wing party, declared, “On October 4, from Rome, our message resonated clearly: if Israel does not stop the genocide, if our governments do not end their complicity, and until Palestine is free, we will continue to block everything.”
Despite government attempts to suppress the movement—Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration declared the strike illegal, threatened unions with repercussions, and recently passed laws to punish protesters who block infrastructure—the mobilization only grew stronger. Meloni dismissed the strikers as people seeking a “long weekend,” but her government’s efforts to quell dissent were largely unsuccessful. The wave of blockades and occupations, often led by students and grassroots activists, made the strike far more disruptive than official channels alone could have achieved.
Organizers and participants were quick to point out that these actions were not spontaneous outbursts but the result of years of groundwork by pro-Palestine activists, grassroots unions, and political organizations. According to BDS Madrid, “The text of the royal decree is not enough and does not constitute a full embargo, but it’s a step that brings us closer to our objective: ending all trade and transit of military material to Israel.” They added, “International solidarity with Palestine is unstoppable, as the streets have shown once again this weekend […] Every day we are stronger, and we will not stop until this government enforces a full embargo on Israel.”
The Italian experience, as highlighted by Red Flag, offers lessons for movements worldwide. It demonstrates the potential for a bold minority—embryonic rank-and-file workers’ organizations and a radical student movement—to galvanize millions into action, especially when they refuse to moderate their demands or seek approval from mainstream political parties. The general strike and mass mobilizations were seen as a victory over not just the far-right government, but over a system many protesters view as morally bankrupt and complicit in global injustices.
As October continues, new demonstrations are already being announced across Europe. The banner of Palestine has become a rallying cry for those disillusioned with economic inequality, government hypocrisy, and a political establishment seen as increasingly out of touch. For now, the streets of Europe remain alive with the promise—and the challenge—of international solidarity.