Demonstrators waving Palestinian flags force their way into Rome’s Colosseum – as protests spread across Europe
Demonstrators waving Palestinian flags entered Rome’s Colosseum on Saturday and chanted for an end to the war in Gaza before police and security guards escorted them out. The incident came amid protests across Europe over varied issues, including living costs, education, housing and political accountability, with clashes, arrests and damage reported in several countries.
In France, 400,000 people marched, while authorities reported 1,314 arrests, 53 officers injured, 75 fires and 24 shops looted over the weekend. Barcelona saw overnight arrests, fires and looting; in Portugal, police removed 171 protest structures and reported 11 people injured. In Serbia, a student-led movement challenging Aleksandar Vučić’s party is contesting a snap election, following protests sparked by a 2024 railway-station canopy collapse that killed 16 people.
In short
- Protesters entered Rome’s Colosseum calling for an end to the Gaza war.
- Demonstrations across Europe brought arrests, clashes and property damage.
- Serbia’s election follows protests over a deadly 2024 station collapse.
Explained simply
The Colosseum is an ancient Roman amphitheatre and one of Italy’s best-known historic sites. Gaza is a Palestinian territory where Israel has been at war with Hamas since the group’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel; the conflict has caused widespread death and destruction and prompted protests in many countries.
Demonstrations across Europe can focus on different local concerns, such as the cost of living, housing, education or government accountability. In Serbia, student organisers have challenged the ruling party after a railway-station canopy collapse in 2024 killed 16 people.