Riots in Turin

Protest against the Gaza war: arms company occupied

Leonardo supplies Israel with aircraft via its US subsidiary and owns an Israeli radar company called RADA.

(Bild: APA/AFP/MARCO BERTORELLO)

To protest against the Gaza war and, above all, the Italian government's support for Israel, around one hundred students stormed the headquarters of the Italian arms manufacturer Leonardo in Turin on Wednesday.

The students, who unfurled a flag of the Palestinian territories on the roof of the Leonardo office, claimed that the company supports Israel by supplying technical assistance and spare parts to the Israeli air force from afar. Leonardo did not comment on the protest.

"No weapons to Israel"
Pictures published by the students show them waving Palestinian flags in the Leonardo offices. They carried banners reading "No weapons to Israel" and accused the company of complicity in genocide. They also climbed onto an airplane on the grounds of the company's headquarters. 30 demonstrators were identified by the police.

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto condemned the protest, stating on the short messaging platform X that the students "destroyed and defaced" the offices where an "important meeting with the employees of the Ministry of Defense" was taking place. "These people need to be treated for what they are: dangerous subversives," Crosetto said. 

Arms exports to belligerent countries banned
Through its US subsidiary, Leonardo supplies Israel with aircraft and owns an Israeli radar company called RADA. Under Italian law, arms exports to belligerent countries and countries that violate human rights are prohibited.

The Italian arms company is also a supplier to the Austrian Armed Forces, which has ordered 36 multi-purpose helicopters, six of which have already been delivered.