Clashes broke out Friday in the port of Brindisi, southern Italy, upon the arrival of the Crown Iris cruise ship, which was carrying Israeli tourists. According to several Italian media outlets, pro-Palestinian activists had gathered to protest the ship’s stopover, forcing police to intervene and disperse the opposing groups.
In a video published by La Repubblica and filmed by Riccardo Celli, several tourists identified as Israelis appear making the Roman salute, uttering insults and miming a throat-slitting gesture towards the protesters.
Other footage released throughout the day shows increasingly heated exchanges in the city streets. In one clip, a woman identified as Israeli responds with explicit threats after hearing pro-Palestinian slogans. The beginning of the altercation is not shown.
The video then shows the same person verbally attacking the activists, notably mentioning homosexuality as “unacceptable in Gaza,” before spitting at the group while making further threats. During this tense exchange, a female protester responds by accusing him of “killing children,” illustrating the growing hostility between the two sides.
Italian police reported no injuries but intervened several times to prevent the confrontations from escalating further. These tensions come as the conflict in Gaza continues to fuel protests and verbal clashes across Europe.
