Pro-Palestine demonstrations

Activists complain about “censorship” on Italian TV

Protests against "censorship in Gaza reporting" have been taking place outside RAI studios in various Italian cities for days.(Bild: APA/AFP/GABRIEL BOUYS)

Since the call by Italian-Tunisian rapper Ghali at the Italian music festival in Sanremo to stop the "genocide in Palestine", pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been taking place in front of the headquarters of the Italian public TV station RAI. RAI boss Roberto Sergio, whose station had co-organized the music festival, immediately distanced himself from the musician and emphasized his "solidarity with the Israeli people". RAI is now facing accusations of subjecting reporting on the war in the Middle East to censorship.

On Thursday, riots broke out in front of the RAI headquarters in Bologna. The demonstrators demanded the resignation of Sergio, who is now under police protection following death threats, because of the accusations of censorship. 

Protests against "censorship in Gaza reporting" have been going on for days in front of RAI studios in various Italian cities.(Bild: APA/AFP/GABRIEL BOUYS)

The front row of around a thousand demonstrators approached the police, who, according to Italian media reports, responded with batons. Objects and fireworks were then thrown at the security officers. The demonstrators had asked to be allowed to read out a document on television entitled "Communiqué against the ongoing genocide denial, censorship and pro-Israeli reporting by RAI".

Five police officers and five demonstrators were injured in riots outside the RAI headquarters in Naples on Tuesday. The riots broke out during a similar demonstration by left-wing activists.