ROME

Tens of thousands of students took to the streets across Italy on Friday, rallying against the education policies of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing coalition and its support for Israel.

Demonstrations were held in major cities, including Rome, Milan, Turin, Naples, Genoa, and Bologna, with high school and university students mobilizing under the banner “No Meloni Day.”

In Milan, around 2,000 people marched past landmarks such as the Duomo Cathedral, denouncing the government’s approach to education and its decision to allocate more funding to defense than schools in the 2026 budget.

Many students carried signs reading “Schools against genocide” and “Stop the genocide,” lighting flares in the colors of the Palestinian flag to criticize both Israel’s actions and the Italian government’s backing of Tel Aviv.

Large Palestinian flags were waved throughout the march, and the chants included strong condemnations of Israel.

In Rome, a student group poured red paint in front of the Education Ministry as part of a protest demonstration.

Marches in other cities also accused the Meloni government of being complicit in Israel’s actions.

Italian media reported brief clashes between protesters and security forces in Turin and Bologna, where tensions rose at times during the rallies.