Gaza Genocide15 October, 20253 min read
Italian Police Attack Pro-Palestinian Protesters with Water Cannons and Tear Gas During Israel World Cup Match
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Italian police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse over 10,000 pro-Palestinian protesters Protests occurred in Udine during the Italy-Israel World Cup qualifier, which Italy won 3-0
8 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Thousands March in London Calling for Britain to Stop Arming Israel and Impose Sanctions →
Pro-Palestinian Protest in Italy
Italian police used water cannons and tear gas against pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Udine. Around 10,000 people rallied before the Italy–Israel World Cup qualifier on October 14. The demonstrators demanded Israel’s exclusion from international football due to its actions in Gaza.
“In Italy, over 10,000 protesters demonstrated in support of Palestinian rights ahead of a World Cup qualifying soccer match between Italy and Israel. Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Italy won the match 3-0.”
Democracy Now! reported that police employed water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. The Independent also stated that police used water cannons to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters. The protesters gathered to call for Israel’s suspension from international football.
The Bridge Chronicle noted that the match was overshadowed by large pro-Palestinian protests. Thousands demanded that FIFA suspend Israel for its actions in Gaza during the event.
Italy won the match 3–0. Middle East Eye described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, which explains the protesters’ focus on Israel’s participation and the authorities’ forceful response.
Police Response to Protest
Udine authorities deployed a large security presence in the city. The Bridge Chronicle reports that over 1,000 police and military personnel were involved, along with barriers and checkpoints. This heavy security helped keep the protest attendance at about 9,000 people.
According to The Bridge Chronicle, the protest was mostly peaceful with confrontations occurring near the end. However, Democracy Now! and The Independent describe the police using water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. This strong security approach reflects wider crackdowns on Palestine solidarity protests across Western democracies.
The International Federation for Human Rights has documented these broader crackdowns. Thenationalnews reports that these measures include disproportionate restrictions on protests.
Protests Demand Football Action on Gaza
Protesters’ demands targeted football’s complicity in the conflict. The Independent reports they gathered to call for Israel’s exclusion from international football. The Bridge Chronicle says demonstrators urged FIFA to suspend Israel over its actions in Gaza.
“On October 14, around 10,000 protesters gathered to call for Israel's exclusion from international football.”
Middle East Eye argues those actions amount to genocide, describing Israel as using extreme violence against Palestinians. Thenationalnews reports nearly 68,000 people have been killed in Israel’s military response since October 7, 2023.
These sources show why protesters linked sport to accountability for Israel’s mass killing in Gaza. They demanded FIFA act rather than normalize a team representing a state engaged in what Middle East Eye characterizes as genocide.
Football Match and Political Protests
On the pitch, Italy routed Israel 3–0, but even the football storyline underlined the political stakes. The Bridge Chronicle details that Italy secured at least a FIFA World Cup playoff spot and that Mateo Retegui scored twice, with Gianluca Mancini adding a late goal. The result ended Israel’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Both Democracy Now! and The Independent confirm the 3–0 scoreline and that the protests came before the match. The Bridge Chronicle adds the game was played under intense security with over 1,000 police and military personnel and a low attendance of about 9,000. This reinforced that sport could not be separated from the street-level push to hold Israel accountable for mass killing in Gaza.
Media Perspectives on Gaza Protests
Across coverage, a clear split emerges between straightforward event reporting and systemic critique. Democracy Now! and The Independent both document Italian police using water cannons and tear gas to disperse demonstrators. The Bridge Chronicle adds unique details about security saturation and attendance while situating the protests within the match’s outcome.
“In Italy, over 10,000 protesters demonstrated in support of Palestinian rights... Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd.”
Middle East Eye argues the Gaza situation is genocide backed by Western power, explaining why protesters demanded Israel’s exclusion and why governments keep shielding Israel. thenationalnews reports a rights-monitoring group’s findings of widespread suppression of pro-Palestine expression in the US, UK, Germany, and France. It also cites nearly 68,000 deaths from Israel’s military campaign, providing context that makes the Udine crackdown look like part of a broader suppression of solidarity with Palestinians facing mass killing.
