General strike in Italy | Ragazzi magici

“School should teach us to think critically, not train the workforce of tomorrow,” says Francesco, a student from Milan. Photo: IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire Around nine o'clock, dozens of people stream out of the Piola subway station in the Città Studi university district in Milan. Under a still pale autumn sun, they walk towards Piazza Leonardo da Vinci and gather in front of the main building of the Technical University. There are no classes here on October 30th, because today is a general strike - throughout the country. Two demonstrations have been announced in Milan. The union procession is scheduled to start at ten o'clock in front of the main train station. In front of the Politecnico, the Polytechnic University, the so-called generation procession, which primarily brings together students and pupils, meets.

There have been social protests in several European countries since mid-September. People first took to the streets in France, Spain and Albania, and now also in Italy - against, among other things, rising costs of living, increased defense spending, housing shortages and the underfunding of the education sector. In many places, young people play a significant role. According to a survey by the Skuola.net portal among 1,500 Italian high school students, a third of those surveyed are actively participating in the current protests; more than half share their concerns.

Just this morning, whole classes made their way together from their schools to the strike meeting point. They brought banners and cardboard signs that read: “Less money for weapons, more money for school,” “No one is a foreigner at school,” “You are selling our future, we will take it back.” This reflects a rejection of the Meloni government: in particular its prioritization between education and rearmament, the announced limit on the number of foreign students per class as well as a ban on face coverings in schools and, in general, a policy that hardly takes the future prospects of young people into account.

The concrete grievances behind the slogans become clear in a conversation with Momo. The 17-year-old attends a vocational school with a focus on electronics in the outskirts of Milan. The building is so dilapidated that when the wind blows, shards of glass come loose from the windows and fall down. But the increased prices also worry Momo: “My father is always working, I hardly see him. Feeding a family of eight in Italy is not easy today. My siblings and I try to help, but often it’s still not enough.”

»Feeding a family is not easy. My siblings and I try to help, but often it’s not enough.”

“School, work, human dignity” booms from a megaphone. The generational train has rolled off. Later he is supposed to meet the union demonstration in Piazza Loreto. Francesco believes this alliance is logical, especially since not only schoolchildren and students have taken to the streets in Italy in the past few weeks, but also school staff, truck drivers and farmers, for example. The 17-year-old attends a high school with a focus on mathematics in the north-east of Milan and particularly criticizes the economization of the school: "The school should teach us to think critically and not train the workforce of tomorrow." Instead, the emphasis is on memorization and practical experience in companies. »There is no time for discussions and in-depth conversations. And we are constantly exposed to neoliberal propaganda - especially in history lessons." This ultimately plays into the hands of right-wing narratives, for example when it comes to so-called remigration.

Skyra tries to create space for political debates in everyday school life. She attends the same high school as Francesco and recently co-founded a collective there. »We have initiated something like a revolutionary movement. A few weeks ago we organized a picket line for the first time in the school's history. We even have support from the headmaster,” says the 16-year-old proudly. Her criticism is not only directed at the current government: "The main problem is capital." She points to the rising textbook prices and the poor pay of teachers: "Our teachers are frustrated and lessons are often canceled because of this."

It's almost midday now. The sun is burning, jackets are being taken off. “Siamo tutti antifascisti,” shouts the crowd. French slogans are also present, above all “Bismillah, c’est les ténèbres” (“In the name of God, this is darkness!”), an ironic allusion to how the state perceives the language of migrant youth. Another popular slogan is “Le monde est à nous” (“The world is ours”), a reference to the 1995 French cult film “La Haine.” The numerous Palestine flags and keffiyehs also demonstrate continuity with the Gaza demonstrations that mobilized many people in Italy last year.

A group of boys are playing trap music: “Ragazzi magici” is playing over the loudspeaker. The line comes from “Giovane Fuoriclasse” by Capo Plaza, a song about rising from a poor background. This is followed by “Marocchino” by Baby Gang, in which the rapper discusses his North African roots and growing up in the Italian suburbs. The boys sing along and joke with each other. Excitement is in the air.

Migrant teenagers in particular recently became the center of public debate after riots broke out in Milan city center on October 17th and 18th. Hundreds of young people, including many minors, vandalized and looted luxury shops and branches of large retail companies around Cathedral Square. The right-wing extremist government and large parts of the media landscape then launched a racist campaign: alleged “young migrants” from the Milan suburbs became the enemy of the nation, as if they were interested in nothing other than rioting and stealing sneakers. The composition of those arrested was anything but homogeneous in terms of social class and family migration history, as the public prosecutor recently announced.

Pietro wasn't there that weekend, but criticizes the fact that previous peaceful youth protests had received little media attention: "It was only when the young people drew attention to themselves in a different way that suddenly all the media were talking about it - worldwide," says the 18-year-old, who attends a high school with a focus on human sciences. Instead of condemning the young people across the board, politicians must deal with the causes of their anger: "In my opinion, many of those who caused a ruckus in the city center are the result of a society that ignores them and pushes them to the margins." The showcase city of Milan is a symbol of this: "Its rich center is literally glorified, but it remains inaccessible to most people."

But after the riots, the government resorted to repression: a new security decree - the eighth in four years in office - is intended to make it easier to arrest minors, make parents financially liable for property damage caused by their children and introduce violent participation in demonstrations as a separate criminal offense. In addition, several cities were militarized in anticipation of further protests. Around 500 additional soldiers were sent to Milan alone. The fact that the demonstration today, after the generational and trade union groups have united, is moving further towards the northeastern outskirts of the city is also due to the extensive closure of the city center.

An occupation of the Milan ring road was also planned for last Friday. The further the train advances on Via Palmanova, the stronger the police presence becomes: police officers in protective gear, vans, helicopters and drones. The rejection of the police, which was already evident in numerous “ACAB” slogans, is now becoming louder. “Tout le monde déteste la police” (“Everyone hates the police”) chants the procession. In recent weeks, the police have repeatedly used batons, water cannons and tear gas against demonstrators, even during predominantly peaceful protests. There was also racial profiling.

At around 3 p.m. the strikers managed to occupy the motorway ring road. There are no major incidents of police violence this time. In the end, the organizers say there will be around 100,000 participants. The following day, further details about the government's draft budget became known: It envisages massive cuts, particularly in the education sector.

For Momo, the question of the right means of protest remains open: »My stance on this issue is still changing. On the one hand, I firmly believe in peaceful demonstrations. On the other hand, I wonder why so little has changed despite years of mobilization. I'm not justifying violence, but you have to ask yourself why so many young people feel like they're not being heard."

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