On April 4, thousands of students took to the streets in cities across Italy. They were protesting against the European Union's growing focus on military spending.
Many were also angry about cuts to the public education budget in Italy, according to Ziare. These protests happened in more than 20 cities.
Young people and teachers joined together to send a message to the government.
The demonstrators are upset with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government. They believe that Italy and the EU are spending too much money on weapons and military projects.
At the same time, they say schools are underfunded and struggling. In Rome, students gathered outside the Ministry of Education.
They carried signs that said things like “money for education, not for war.”
One of the most powerful moments of the protest happened in front of the ministry. Demonstrators laid a giant EU flag on the ground and set it on fire.
Some students also held up posters of politicians with red paint on their hands. This was meant to symbolize blood, blaming them for war decisions.
Protesters didn’t just target Italy’s leaders. They also criticized European officials.
In Turin, a similar scene played out. A large group of students gathered in the streets. They burned photos of the NATO flag and Italy’s Minister of Education, Giuseppe Valditara.
Some held up images of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian politicians like Meloni, Salvini, and opposition leaders. These photos were smeared with red paint.
The message from the protesters was clear. They want money to go toward better schools, not toward weapons and war.
They believe education should be a top priority, not something that gets cut when military budgets rise.
The protests show a growing concern among young people. They’re tired of being overlooked in political decisions. They want leaders to invest in their future, not just in defense.
