Mass protests sweep Italy during nationwide strike

Tens of thousands of people, ​mostly students and workers, took to ​the streets across Italy ‌on ​Friday to demand higher wages and stronger public services, protest against the rising cost of living ‌and oppose increased military spending. Grassroots union Unione Sindacale di Base called a 24-hour general strike, with protests planned in more than 40 cities.

The demonstrations, which ‌came after clashes earlier this month in which protesters fought with police, ‌looted shops and vandalised property, were largely peaceful. In Turin, however, police used a water cannon to push back students and left-wing activists who approached security cordons protecting ⁠the prefecture building. In ​Rome, a ⁠large march passed near the Colosseum, where protesters said they planned to set up tents ⁠and remain over the weekend. Some rubbish bins were placed across streets and ​set on fire.

In Milan, protesters marched onto the city’s ring road before ⁠ending the march in front of the Politecnico di Milano university. In Genoa, around 15,000 ⁠port ​workers, students and other demonstrators entered the port, joining similar protests in Europe and elsewhere against the use of ports for arms ⁠shipments and highlighting the deaths of seafarers in conflicts from the Gulf to the ⁠Black Sea.

A ⁠wave of protests has swept across European countries including France, Spain, Belgium and Albania, driven by grievances including the ‌cost ‌of living.