Torches lit up the city center streets, and a large Palestinian flag, sewn from fragments brought by participants, came to life at the foot of the Bastion. Cagliari, for the third consecutive Friday, clapped in unison, chanting "Free Palestine."
The "Night for Gaza" demonstration brought thousands of people onto the streets: music, art, signs, and flags, calling for a halt to the bombings and openly standing with the Palestinian people. The march, which started on Via Roma in front of the Regional Council, occupied the roadway, slowing traffic: "A necessary inconvenience to raise awareness," the activists explained.
The most anticipated stop was Palazzo Bacaredda, where Mayor Massimo Zedda welcomed a delegation of protesters. Before them, he reiterated: "Cagliari is a city of peace. This evening we welcome and display the Palestinian flag in the City Hall." He echoed the appeal of ANCI President Gaetano Manfredi: "Mayors be peacemakers. Let's ensure that all citizens are as well. It is a shared commitment and a collective effort to never look the other way, but always lend a hand to those in need."
Zedda didn't mince his words: "Genocide is being committed in Gaza, a massacre of innocents, ongoing violence, and a systematic violation of international law. Recognizing Palestine as a state is essential."
And he adds: "In addition to Palestine, there are nearly 60 countries suffering dramatic situations of war and conflict. Today, this flag in City Hall represents them all."
After meeting with the mayor, the procession continued its march, crossing Via Roma, Viale Trieste, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Piazza Yenne, and Via Manno, until reaching Piazza Costituzione.
Here, the final sit-in transformed the steps of the Bastione into an improvised stage: around thirty artists performed songs inspired by Palestinian tradition, while the protesters vigorously waved the Palestinian and Peace flags and sang along with those who, when the shops on the main shopping streets closed, decided to stop and join the demonstration. A choral finale that transformed the center of Cagliari into a mosaic of colors and voices for peace.