Protesters storm Roman Colosseum gates waving Palestinian flags as unrest grows across Italy

Demonstrations fueled by economic hardship spread from France into Italy over the weekend, where hundreds of young protesters waving Palestinian flags breached the gates of Rome’s historic Colosseum before being removed by security forces, according to a report by the New York Post.

​The breach occurred despite heightened security measures that previously designated the 2,000-year-old landmark a “red zone.” Violent clashes also erupted near Rome’s Piazza della Repubblica, prompting police to deploy water cannons and tear gas. Similar demonstrations over rising living costs and the conflict in Gaza hit Milan and Turin. In Milan, demonstrators burned energy bills and dumped manure outside the national energy regulator, leading Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to deploy 500 soldiers alongside 5,000 police officers to maintain order.

​The unrest mirrors broader European economic protests, with major demonstrations also reported in Spain, Portugal, and Albania.