'Our heritage is resistance': Genoa port activists challenge Israel arms trade to stand with Gaza

Genoa is a city that has always looked outward. Built on the sea, living through its port, it has never been insulated from the currents of global history.

The struggles of dockworkers here have often reached far beyond Italy's borders. From opposing the Greek colonels to protesting against Pinochet and the Vietnam War, Genoese port workers have carried internationalism in their veins.

"Our fathers and grandfathers told us about the partisans struggling against fascism,” one activist recalls. "That heritage stays with us. It's natural for us to stand with people resisting oppression everywhere.”

Today, that instinct is turned towards Palestine. Since October 8, Genoa's port workers and activists have responded to the call of Palestinian trade unions, joining a global network determined to stop the flow of arms to Israel.

They speak of their mission with a mixture of pride and gravity: "When things get tough, we don't step aside. We know there are risks. But determination is part of who we are.”

Flotillas and solidarity

Genoa's solidarity with Palestine takes many forms. The city joined the Global Sumud Flotilla, an initiative aimed at breaking the siege of Gaza by sea.

"We know there are criticisms,” the activists admit, "but for us it's a fundamental battle. It's not just political — it's ethical, almost poetic, like something out of Greek epic.”

One of their number has already embarked from Barcelona.

Meanwhile, projects like Music 4 Peace, born in Genoa in 2008, continue to provide support on land: meals for the poor, operations in Sudan, solidarity with Palestine.

"Our humanity is diverse,” they insist. "But when the world turns toward war, we choose to turn toward each other.”

Who are the CALP?

At the heart of this mobilisation is the Collettivo Autonomo Lavoratori Portuali (CALP), a collective of Genoa dockworkers and activists formed in the mid-2010s.

CALP emerged from the city's militant trade union traditions, often working alongside USB but maintaining autonomy from official union hierarchies.

Its members have repeatedly blocked or denounced the loading of arms in the port — whether destined for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen or, more recently, for Israel.

Over the years, CALP has built a reputation as a bridge between workers' struggles and international solidarity campaigns, combining direct action at the docks with a strong public presence in the city's squares.

A city in the streets

In November, more than 40,000 people filled Genoa's streets in one of the largest pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Italy since the war began. What struck many was not just the size but the breadth of the crowd.

At the head marched CALP dockworkers, alongside members of grassroots unions like USB, delegations from CGIL, student networks, and neighbourhood assemblies.

Religious groups were also visible: Catholic communities close to the memory of Don Gallo (a Catholic priest from Genoa known for his political commitment alongside the marginalised), scout groups, and parishes aligned with Pope Francis's appeals for peace.

Political forces ranged from Rifondazione Comunista to Potere al Popolo (left-wing parties), with banners from anarchist collectives and autonomous movements. Ultras from both Genoa CFC and Sampdoria football teams stood side by side, an unusual show of unity.

Local institutions were present too: the mayors of nearby towns such as Ravenna had already spoken out against arms shipments, while in Genoa, city officials appeared spontaneously, "almost fusing into the movement,” as one organiser described.

The demonstration reflected a broader Italian trend: between October and December, over 200 pro-Palestinian rallies took place across the country, from Milan to Palermo.

But Genoa's march stood out for its size relative to the city's population — about 600,000 — and for the symbolic role of the port, a place at the heart of debates on arms, trade, and solidarity.

Yet contradictions remain sharp. From Liguria alone, over 15,000 containers are exported to Israel each year.

"There is no humanitarian channel open for Gaza, but trade continues as if nothing is happening,” the activists denounce.

This tension has become the focus of a new political battle: to push for a military and commercial boycott. "If the state and companies profit from war, then we must organise against them.”

The difficult path ahead

For Genoa's activists, Palestine is not just one cause among many. It is, as they put it, a "keystone” of global justice, a question that has always illuminated the balance of the world.

"There will be moments when people don't speak of it,” one explains, "but until Palestinians can determine their own destiny, there will be no peace.”

From the neighbourhood football pitch to the city's stadium, the Palestinian flag is waved as a sign of continuity: the antifascist struggle, the fight against systemic violence, the refusal of state terrorism.

Genoa's port workers know their role is small compared to the vastness of war, but they see themselves as amplifiers of Palestinians, as well as of all peoples demanding self-determination.

And while the weight of responsibility is heavy, the mood is far from despair.

"The movement is growing,” they say. "We feel charged, full of responsibility, but also of hope. Someone told us after the last protest: the difficult part is still to come. And we are ready.”

Alba Nabulsi is a Palestinian-Italian journalist, lecturer, and translator based in Padua, Italy

Follow her on Instagram: @nabulsi_girl_in_italy