Despite the bans, several hundred pro-Pal protesters took to the streets in Turin and Bologna to sing the praises of the October 7 massacre, responding to the call of the Young Palestinians. Clashes erupted in Bologna that evening between protesters and law enforcement on Via Rizzoli, just off Piazza Maggiore. Officers used water cannons, and there were a couple of charges to disperse the protesters.
The areas had already been cordoned off by a massive deployment of law enforcement officers who had received precise instructions to contain the excesses.
This morning, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi appealed "not to tarnish the anniversary of a great tragedy ." But the "celebration" took place in Turin's Piazza Castello and in Bologna's Piazza del Nettuno. The demonstrations' flyers spoke clearly: "Long live October 7th, long live the Palestinian resistance." In the evening, the two squares filled with people with flags, megaphones, and keffiyehs around their necks. Slogans included "Free Palestine from the river to the sea" and invectives against "the Zionist entity."
The area was then cordoned off by riot police, who at one point prevented further entry, amidst the shouts of activists. "Shame! They're preventing us from demonstrating!" they shouted.
Protection measures have been raised to the highest levels on approximately 200 sensitive Israeli targets: neighborhoods, synagogues, diplomatic missions, shops, and airline headquarters. Piantedosi made no secret of the fact that October 7th is "a worrying day" due to the announced initiatives. "Then," he added, "I always trust that common sense will prevail, and I trust, above all, in the preventive measures that law enforcement agencies are able to undertake."
(Unioneonline)