Politics
Dock Workers in Genoa Prepare to Halt Weapon Shipments to Israel at San Benigno Gate
Italian Dock Workers Continue to Boycott Weapons Shipments to Israel
Dock workers in Italy, organized under the Autonomous Collective of Port Workers (CALP), have maintained their commitment to boycott the transportation of weapons through Italian ports. In collaboration with dock workers in Livorno and Naples, CALP blocked a shipment of Italian missiles destined for use in Israel against the Gaza population in 2021. The CALP, known for its international solidarity, has refused to be complicit in the genocide in Yemen, identifying and denouncing Saudi ships carrying weapons.
In contrast to the Italian government's decision to send weapons to Ukraine and increase military spending, the dock workers have organized strikes against Italy's co-belligerence. The CALP's demonstration in Genoa on February 25, 2023, joined a national mobilization for workplace safety, advocating for the funds intended for war escalation to be allocated to protect workers' health and halt the passage of weapons through Italian ports.
The Genoa demonstration was part of a national anti-militarist protest in Rome on November 4, where the CALP highlighted Italy's complicity in the Palestinian civilian extermination and promoted peaceful forms of struggle, such as economic-commercial boycotts and civil strikes.
The CALP's mobilization extends beyond Italy, aligning with similar protests in Belgium and the United States against the shipment of weapons to the Middle East. The dock workers reject the collaboration with shipping companies facilitating the transport of arms, emphasizing their commitment to solidarity, historic resistance against injustice, fascism, and war, and their refusal to compromise their conscience. The CALP remains resolute in its determination to fight against the arms trade and expresses gratitude for the strong solidarity and high motivation among workers.
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