Tens of thousands of demonstrators march across Italy calling for an end to war worldwide

Associated Press
Sat, October 26, 2024 

Demonstrators participate in a march for peace against all wars, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Demonstrators participate in a march for peace against all wars, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Demonstrators participate in a march for peace against all wars, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Demonstrators participate in a march for peace against all wars, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Demonstrators participate in a march for peace against all wars, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)ASSOCIATED PRESS


Italy Peace March
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Demonstrators participate in a march for peace against all wars, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

ROME (AP) — Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in seven Italian cities on Saturday calling for an immediate cease-fire in the Middle East, Ukraine and all global conflicts.

Peaceful rallies were held in Rome, Turin, Milan, Florence, Bari, Palermo and Cagliari, with the support of hundreds of associations committed to peace, disarmament and human rights.

The marches came in response to escalating violence in the Middle East and growing conflicts worldwide and denounced the diminished role of the United Nations on the global scene.

In Rome, a few thousand demonstrators marched waving a giant rainbow flag in front of the Colosseum and a banner with the slogan: “Let’s stop wars. The time for peace is now!”

“The war in Ukraine has been going on for years now and what was the result? Nothing. … There are only a lot of Ukrainian and Russian people who died, many soldiers and many children,” said Daniela Ferraci, a demonstrator in the Italian capital. “The same is happening in Gaza, in Israel, in Lebanon."

Giulio Marcon, one of the organizers of the Rome rally, said “wars are never resolving problems.”

“War brings more war, weapons bring more weapons. We must choose the path of negotiation, cease-fire and diplomacy. This is the message from this square,” he said.

Maurizio Landini, leader of Italy's CGIL trade union, called for the role of international diplomacy to be reaffirmed.

“Our strongest request is a ceasefire to let governments open a real peace conference, because the new world’s balance can’t be decided by wars,” he said on stage.


Tens of thousands of demonstrators march in Italian cities calling for peace in Gaza and Ukraine

Euronews
Sat, October 26, 2024 

Tens of thousands of people marched in various Italian cities on Saturday calling for peace in Gaza and Ukraine.

Around 10,000 people marched through the centre of Rome waving a giant peace flag in front of the Colosseum.

The demonstration was organised by the Italian Disarmament Network, the CGIL labour union, several opposition centre-left parties, the war doctors charity Emergency and various minor peace advocacies.

Many among the protesters were very concerned about the high number of civilians killed in the wars both in Gaza and Ukraine.

They urged the Italian government and the international community to revive a peace conference under the leadership of the United Nations.

Other rallies were held in Turin, Milan, Florence, Bari, Palermo and Cagliari with the support of hundreds of groups calling for peace.

The marches occurred amidst escalating violence in the Middle East, as Israel launched overnight attacks against Iran on Saturday morning.