As of: February 13, 2024, 10:22 p.m
By: Nadja Zinsmeister
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A pro-Palestine demonstration in Italy erupted into chaos.
A total of ten demo participants and police officers were injured in sudden riots.
Naples - Violent clashes with the police occurred during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Naples.
According to initial information from the police, a total of ten people were injured in the incident on Tuesday, five of whom were officers.
The situation escalated after a protest march headed towards the editorial building of the state television station Rai in Naples.
The participants demonstrated against the station's reporting on the war in Israel.
Pro-Palestinian demonstration in Italy escalates - ten people slightly injured in Naples
According to information from the Italian daily newspaper
Il Messaggero,
a peaceful initiative was initially planned in the southern Italian city.
However, when some of the approximately two hundred participants tried to set up a banner in front of the Rai gates, the situation escalated.
The entrance to the building was defended by armed police.
Ten people were apparently slightly injured in the clashes.
Journalists on site captured the chaos in pictures.
Just two weeks ago there was a serious attack in Germany on the sidelines of a pro-Palestine demonstration in Leipzig.
There were clashes between demonstrators and the police in front of the RAI headquarters in Naples on Tuesday.
© IMAGO/IPA/ABACA
The background to the demonstration was the general accusation that the TV station was too closely reflecting Israel's view of things in its reporting on the war in the Gaza Strip.
A concrete trigger for the protest followed at the weekend.
The station Rai broadcast the Sanremo music festival, at which the singer Ghali also performed.
At the end of his concert, the musician with roots from Tunisia shouted “Stop the genocide in Palestine” to the audience.
Trigger for pro-Palestine demo in Naples: Israeli ambassador criticized TV appearance
The Israeli ambassador to Italy filed a complaint after the musician's statement.
“I find it shameful that the festival stage is being used to spread hatred and provocation in a superficial and irresponsible manner,” he wrote shortly afterwards on the short message platform X.
The Israeli ambassador's complaint led to a pro-Israel statement from the Rai directorate.
In his statement, director Roberto Sergio emphasized: “Every day our newscasts and programs report and will continue to report on the tragedy of the hostages in the hands of Hamas and recall the massacre of children, women and men on October 7th.
My solidarity with the Israeli people and the Jewish community is from the heart and with conviction.”
The director then expressed his sympathy for the embassy.
The station's attitude was the concrete trigger for the demonstration in Naples.
(nz with dpa material)