A few hundred people broke from the largely peaceful Gaza solidarity protest in Rome and clashed with Italian police officers on Saturday, the Italian police said.
Hundreds of thousands of people continued to march through the Italian capital on Saturday, the fourth day of sweeping strikes and protests that have seized parts of the country as pressure mounts on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government to take a stronger stand against Israel over its assault on Gaza.
Officers responded to the violent protests with tear gas and water cannons as protesters set fire to cars and trash cans, according to Reuters.
“A heartfelt thank you to the Law Enforcement Agencies for the extraordinary work carried out in these complex days, despite having had to face attacks, object throwing, and organized attempts at confrontation,” Meloni said in a social media post.
The unrest started as Israel intercepted the pro-Palestinian Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 41 boats attempting to carry humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. A United Nations-backed agency in August declared a man-made famine in the coastal enclave. Israel rejected that assessment.
Delegations from Israel and the Hamas militant group are expected to begin truce talks on Monday in Egypt.
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