(MENAFN) Tens of thousands of students flooded the streets throughout Italy on Friday, mobilizing against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition's education agenda and its diplomatic support for Israel.

Mass demonstrations erupted in major metropolitan centers, including Rome, Milan, Turin, Naples, Genoa, and Bologna, with secondary school and university students organizing under the unified slogan "No Meloni Day."

In Milan, approximately 2,000 demonstrators marched past iconic sites such as the Duomo Cathedral, condemning the government's educational strategy and its choice to prioritize defense spending over school funding in the 2026 budget.

Numerous protesters displayed banners proclaiming "Schools against genocide" and "Stop the genocide," igniting flares in the colors of the Palestinian flag to criticize both Israel's actions and the Italian government's backing of Tel Aviv.

Massive Palestinian flags dominated the procession, while demonstrators chanted fierce condemnations of Israel.

In Rome, a student collective dumped red paint in front of the Education Ministry as part of a protest demonstration.

Demonstrations in additional cities similarly accused the Meloni administration of being complicit in Israel's actions.

Italian media reported brief clashes between protesters and security forces in Turin and Bologna, where tensions rose at times during the rallies.

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