STORY: Thousands of Italians on Saturday (November 29) took to the streets of Rome in solidarity with Gaza, alongside Swedish activist, Greta Thunberg, and United Nations special rapporteur, Francesca Albanese.

The national demonstration was organised by the hardline USB union against what it called the government's "war budget," saying the 2026 financial bill favours military spending over much-needed investment in health, education and welfare.

"Choosing to invest so heavily in war means harming the country's interests," said Guido Lutrario, member of the national executive of USB, which in recent years has emerged as an aggressive grass-roots union.

Alongside pro-Palestinian slogans, demonstrators carried banners calling for more investment in the public sector and essential welfare programmes, beginning with housing.

"As an Italian it is fundamental to be here," said Albanese, who serves as a special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories. "The Palestine effect, in fact, it has awakened our conscience."

Representatives of the Global Sumud Flotilla also took part in the march, including Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, who was travelling to Gaza with Thunberg when the humanitarian fleet was intercepted in October.

Italian workers "have shown the way, that through mobilisation you can actually achieve our goals," he said, referring to the multiple demonstrations and strikes that spread across the country in recent months.

The more mainstream CGIL, Italy's largest union, has announced a nationwide strike of its own members over the budget on December 12.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: ROME, ITALY (NOVEMBER 29, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. CROWD GATHERING IN STREET, WAVING USB UNION AND PALESTINIAN FLAGS

2. ACTIVIST CHANTING ON STAGE

3. PROTESTER HOLDING BANNER READING (Italian): "Thirsty for blood and money"

4. SWEDISH ACTIVIST, GRETA THUNBERG, WALKING ON STAGE

5. BRAZILIAN ACTIVIST, THIAGO AVILA, HOLDING USB UNION FLAG

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRAZILIAN ACTIVIST, THIAGO AVILA, SAYING:

"I believe if there is a place in the world where people have shown that you can get hostile governments, complicit governments to abide by people's will, it's in Italy and it's in Rome. So the workers here have shown the way, that through mobilisation you can actually achieve our goals."

7. THUNBERG AND AVILA ON STAGE

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRAZILIAN ACTIVIST, THIAGO AVILA, SAYING:

"You've been changing the policy of this country that was horrifically complicit in genocide. You've been showing the way that, not only to stop complicity with Israel, but only to build a better world without exploitation, oppression, destruction of nature."

9. THUNBERG AND AVILA TALKING ON STAGE

10. USB TRADE UNIONIST, GUIDO LUTRARIO, SPEAKING ON STAGE

11. THUNBERG ON STAGE

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) USB TRADE UNIONIST, GUIDO LUTRARIO, SAYING:

"The government's decision to purchase and build new weapons with such a large portion of public spending affects the public budget, affecting public investment, pensions, healthcare, education, and public sector wages. Choosing to invest so heavily in war means harming the country's interests."

13. VARIOUS OF THUNBERG AND ACTIVISTS ON STAGE

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAWYER, FILIPPO TORRETTA, SAYING:

"I'm here because we are against the re-arming of Europe and most of all because we are against the genocide that is occurring in Palestine. We have to isolate Israel until the genocide stops, until apartheid stops. We have to do everything. As the former president of the Irish Republic said, we have to expel Israel from the United Nations."

15. PROTESTER WEARING BANNER READING (Italian): "We are not invisible"

16. PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS READING (Italian): "Enough crumbs" / "Dignity for school"

17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TEACHER, ALESSANDRA PRESTINENZI, SAYING:

"Of course, we are with Palestinians. We want this, this war to to be finished as soon as possible, because now it's not finished. So we want free Palestine."

18. PROTESTERS, INCLUDING FIREFIGHTERS, STANDING ON FRONTLINE OF PROTEST

19. PROTESTERS MARCHING, CHANTING (Italian): "Meloni, resignation"

20. THUNBERG AND AVILA MARCHING

21. AVILA STANDING / THUNBERG TALKING

22. PROTESTERS LIGHTING RED AND GREEN SMOKE CANISTERS

23. THUNBERG AND U.N. SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, FRANCESCA ALBANESE, STANDING

24. MAN STANDING WITH CHILD ON HIS SHOULDERS

25. PROTESTERS, INCLUDING ALBANESE, MARCHING

26. PROTESTERS HOLDING PALESTINIAN FLAG AND BANNER READING (Italian): "Healthcare workers for Gaza"

27. PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER READING (English): "From every river to every sea, Palestine will be free"

28. PROTESTERS MARCHING, WAVING FLAGS

29. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING PAST THE COLOSSEUM

30. PROTESTERS, INCLUDING ALBANESE AND THUNBERG, MARCHING NEXT TO COLOSSEUM

31. PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER READING (Italian): "We're all socially dangerous. Income and housing immediately. Let's block evictions and clearances."

32. MAN MARCHING WITH CHILD ON HIS SHOULDERS HOLDING PALESTINIAN FLAG

33. PROTESTERS MARCHING

34. PROTESTERS, INCLUDING ALBANESE AND THUNBERG, MARCHING

35. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, FRANCESCA ALBANESE, SAYING:

"As a special rapporteur in the occupied Palestinan territory it's necessary to be here because in Gaza, in Palestine, the genocide of the Palestinian people continues. Even if they, the politicians want to convince us that there is a ceasefire and this is the way to achieve peace, no, you won't achieve peace by procrastinating and reproducing injustice. And as an Italian it is fundamental to be here because people are understanding and this is the effect Palestine, the Palestine effect in fact, it has awakened our conscience."

36. PROTESTERS, INCLUDING ALBANESE AND THUNBERG, STANDING

37. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, FRANCESCA ALBANESE, SAYING:

"Citizens are asking: what can we do? Decent citizens have to boycott, businesses have to divest, the state is to impose an arms embargo on Israel and impose the sanctions. And also there shouldn't be space for (in)justice. This is the moment to protect and restore respect for international law and international justice."

38. ALBANESE TAKING PHOTOS WITH PROTESTERS

39. VARIOUS OF THUNBERG WALKING

40. CROWD APPLAUDING, WAVING FLAGS IN FRONT OF ST JOHN LATERAN'S BASILICA