Meloni on the strike: "The violence is shameful and doesn't change the lives of people in Gaza one bit."

Reactions from the political world to the marches and clashes with police on the day of the Gaza strike were swift. The center-right expressed strong criticism, starting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni , who wrote on social media: "The images coming from Milan are shameful: self-styled 'pro-pal', self-styled 'antifa', and self-styled 'pacifists' devastating the station and sparking clashes with law enforcement." The prime minister continued: "Violence and destruction that have nothing to do with solidarity and will not change the lives of people in Gaza one iota, but will have concrete consequences for Italian citizens, who will end up suffering and paying for the damage caused by these hooligans."

"My thoughts go out to the police," he added, "who are forced to endure the arrogance and gratuitous violence of these pseudo-protesters. I hope for clear condemnation from the strike organizers and all political forces."

Senate President Ignazio La Russa also weighed in, stating: "Law enforcement officers, citizens, and workers were 'held hostage' for hours by the occupation of highways and train stations and by the unacceptable violence of hundreds of criminals who profess to be pacifists but are actually waging shameful urban warfare. From Milan to Rome, passing through Bologna and many other cities: we are witnessing actions that have nothing to do with the protests for Gaza and which everyone, and I repeat everyone, should condemn." La Russa expressed "strong, genuine, and sincere solidarity with the attacked law enforcement officers, with the citizens, and with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, once again the victim of vile threats."

Maurizio Gasparri of Forza Italia was also harsh: "What happened is extremely serious and is happening in our cities. In Bologna, Milan, and Turin, where clashes with the police took place and Prime Minister Meloni's portrait was set on fire, and in Rome, where protesters even blocked the eastern ring road. Attacking people in uniform, who are called upon to ensure everyone's safety, is not protest, but intimidation."

"Shocking images. This isn't a strike, it's violence," writes the Northern League's Deputy Prime Minister, Matteo Salvini , on X. "Clashes and attacks on law enforcement, stations stormed and besieged, stones thrown on the tracks, thousands of angry, blocked workers. These are the left-wing 'pacifists.'"

Condemnation

Milan's mayor, Beppe Sala , also condemned the violence: "Today's vandalism," he commented, "caused by violent groups is unjustifiable and certainly does not help the Gaza cause. In recent weeks, Milan has seen a series of well-attended demonstrations in defense of the Palestinian cause, always peacefully."

For Enrico Borghi , vice president of Italia Viva, "if there's a surefire way to obscure and nullify one's opinions when demonstrating, it's when one resorts to violence and overbearingly unloads one's arguments on those who have nothing to do with it. Occupying stations, threatening passengers, and attacking the police have nothing to do with the positions of a strike. And these are unacceptable behaviors, and we must distance ourselves immediately. We stand in solidarity with the police."