The priest who spoke for us all: Cleric goes viral after giving protesters the finger while protecting worshippers from far-left mob at his church

Father Giannicola Maria Simone, a 65-year-old priest in Milan, sheltered tourists and passers-by inside his church during unrest, then returned a protester’s rude gesture. The incident went viral and drew attention to his efforts to protect people while tensions over the cost of living were fuelling protests across Italy.

Simone told an Italian newspaper he had tried to speak with the protesters, who said they had joined in without knowing why. Separately, truckers’ protests over fuel prices and living costs disrupted deliveries, leaving fresh food stranded and affecting fuel supplies at two airports in Calabria. The government had set aside about €1 billion in aid for truck drivers and planned to discuss further measures for hauliers and farmers.