Italian authorities ban a pro-Palestinian march glorifying the October 7 massacre as antisemitic incidents surge across the country.
In a bold move to restore order and uphold public safety, authorities in Bologna, Italy, have banned an anti-Israel demonstration planned for Tuesday, citing fears of unrest after several days of violent street clashes across the country, Reuters reported.
The rally, organized by the extremist group Giovani Palestinesi Italia, was intended to mark two years since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre, in which 1,200 innocent Israelis—men, women, and children—were slaughtered in cold blood.
Bologna Prefect Enrico Ricci announced that the demonstration was “absolutely prohibited,” referencing escalating violence in Rome, where riots erupted over the weekend during similar anti-Israel gatherings.
Despite the official ban, Giovani Palestinesi defiantly declared on Instagram that they intend to proceed with the rally and even organize a parallel protest in Turin, prompting concerns of further chaos.
Israel’s ambassador to Italy, Jonathan Peled, condemned the planned march, stating it was designed to “glorify the October 7 massacre and whitewash terror.” The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed that Peled has been working closely with Italian authorities to prevent what it called a “provocation disguised as protest.”
The tension follows Israel’s recent interception of the Hamas-linked “Global Sumud Flotilla”, which attempted to breach the Gaza naval blockade under the pretext of humanitarian aid. Israeli forces detained more than 170 activists, including Swedish climate celebrity Greta Thunberg, discovering that the flotilla carried barely two tons of supplies—less than one-tenth of a single aid truck—while amplifying Hamas propaganda.
Meanwhile, Italy’s Jewish communities are facing a chilling surge in antisemitism unseen in decades. Over the weekend, a kosher bakery in Rome’s Jewish quarter was vandalized with the slur “Dirty Jews, may you all burn.”
Similar incidents have swept through Venice, where Orthodox Jews, including Chabad photographer Haim Tuito and his family, were harassed with anti-Israel slogans. In another attack, an American Jewish couple—the woman pregnant—were assaulted by three men who spat on them, threw water, and unleashed a dog on the husband.
In stark contrast to the hate-driven protests, Milan’s Jewish community has opted for a discreet commemoration of the October 7 tragedy, focusing on remembrance and resilience rather than confrontation.
The wave of antisemitic incidents, coupled with violent anti-Israel demonstrations, underscores a troubling trend across Europe: terror apologists hiding behind “activism,” and governments struggling to contain imported hatred.
As Israel’s envoy warned, “What begins as anti-Israel rhetoric ends in antisemitic violence. Europe must decide if it stands with civilization—or with those who celebrate barbarism.”
