Strike called in Italy, protests flare over interception of Gaza aid ships

Italian unions called a general strike for Friday in solidarity with the international aid flotilla for Gaza, while protests sprang up in a number of cities late on Wednesday after reports that the ships had been intercepted by military personnel.

In the southern city of Naples, demonstrators got into the main railway station and halted train traffic, while police surrounded the Termini railway station in Rome after protesters gathered close to entrances.

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The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which consists of more than 40 civilian boats carrying about 500 parliamentarians, lawyers and activists, includes an Italian contingent. It has been trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza with medicine and food, despite repeated warnings from Israel to turn back.

"The aggression against civilian ships that were carrying Italian citizens is an extremely serious matter," the CGIL union said, calling the strike which other smaller unions said they would join.

The announcement comes after a previous general strike in support of Gaza and the GSF called by the grassroots Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) on September 22 which turned violent in Milan.

In the northwestern city of Genoa, the USB announced that it intended to block the port and called on all protesters to gather at 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) at one of the main entrances.

Over the past two weeks, protesting Italian dockworkers have prevented various ships from docking and loading, targeting vessels they say were involved in trade with Israel.

Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani said earlier that his Israeli counterpart had assured him the Israeli armed forces would not use violence against activists on board the flotilla.