Thousands march in Turin against living costs and rearmament as protesters burn bills

The Turin march

On Saturday, 7 November, a march against the cost of living and rearmament set off from piazza Castello in Turin at around 16:00 local time, heading toward via Po and piazza Vittorio Veneto. Earlier reports put the gathering at more than a thousand people, and later ones described several thousand marchers, among them students, workers, teachers and farmers. A tractor belonging to the Agricoltori Autonomi Italiani led the column, behind a banner reading 'No to the cost of living, we want dignity. Get the money out.'

Along the route, chants called for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to step down and targeted Minister Matteo Salvini, and the crowd sang a song that went viral during protests in France. The march halted on corso San Maurizio, where a speaker on a microphone accused the government of failing to act, said the money had gone to large multinational companies, and urged people to burn their bills. Protesters then set fire to photocopies of bills while the crowd kept chanting for Meloni's resignation.

Flags, symbols and a permanent base

Flags of the USB and Cobas unions, Palestinian flags and several Italian tricolours were visible around the monument to the Duke of Aosta, where the tractor was parked. Banners hung on the monument included one saying that as long as the state treats people as fools, they will feel entitled to make their voices heard. Organisers also set up a gazebo as a permanent mobilisation point, a step announced at a citizens' assembly held a few days earlier at the occupied Campus Einaudi.

Milan and Cremona

In Milan, a separate afternoon march organised by the Associazione palestinesi in Italia (Api) left the Affori district before 15:00 and was due to end at piazzale Maciachini. Social centres including the Vittoria, students and supporters joined, and organisers put the crowd at 600-700 people. The march linked opposition to war, genocide, imperialism and Zionism with opposition to rearmament, rising living costs and precarious work. Protesters expressed solidarity with four Palestinians who were arrested on 27 December 2025 and remain detained in Italy. A preliminary hearing before the court in Genoa is set for 12 November, where a decision on whether the case goes to trial will be made, and a rally in front of the courthouse is planned for that day. Protesters also objected to a reported request by prosecutors to list the State of Israel as an injured party.

In Cremona, a march called 'Adèss Baasta' and organised by the Circolo Arci set off against the cost of living and military spending. More than thirty unions, parties, collectives and associations joined, and police were deployed along the whole route with no signs of tension at the time of reporting. Organisers stressed the peaceful nature of the event in their appeal, saying that demonstrating does not mean causing damage.

The strike calendar ahead

Both the Milan and Cremona marches pointed to the general strike of 30 October and the next strike day on 20 November. For that date, student groups are planning international mobilisation and marches in many cities against rearmament, war, living costs and rising prices. The Turin movement has kept its gazebo in place as a base for the protests that follow.