The following documents were sent to our party by dockworkers in Genoa, Italy.
These workers, who have been collecting and shipping aid to Gaza, have vowed to block Europe if the international Sumud Flotilla, which is currently making its way to Gaza across the Mediterranean sea, faces attacks or intimidation from Israeli forces. After the first small attempt (in 2008) was successful, all other attempts to break the siege by sea have been met with Israeli force, at times deadly, in international waters.
On 31 August, speaking to an audience of 40,000, a spokesperson from the Autonomous Collective of Dockworkers promised an unprecedented response if the Israelis assault the latest flotilla.
“If we lose contact with our boats, even for twenty minutes,” he said, “we will block all of Europe. From the Port of Genoa, nothing will leave anymore.” (Palestine Chronicle, 31 August 2025)
The unionists report that more than 13,000 containers leave the port of Genoa for Israel every year.
These same workers are now calling on workers all over Europe to join then in defending the flotilla and in creating a movement of non-cooperation, whereby all workers organise themselves and refuse en masse to ship arms and other military equipment destined for the genocidal state of Israel.
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20 September 2025
To all dockers
LET’S DEFEND THE SUMUD FLOTILLA, STOP THE GENOCIDE IN GAZA, STOP REARMAMENT AND THE WAR ECONOMY
We dockers have a long tradition of solidarity among workers, internationalism, and opposition to every war of aggression and oppression: the time to assert this tradition is here and now!
We are on the right side of history: being aware of this helps us to make choices and face difficulties, repression and risks. And we must make history: for the liberation of the Palestinian people and other peoples oppressed by imperialism, for our future and that of other workers, our children and grandchildren.
LET’S MOBILISE AND MOBILISE to participate in the strike on 22 September, in demonstrations, pickets and blockades: every initiative of denunciation, protest and struggle is right, important and legitimate.
The Meloni government has widely demonstrated that it is complicit with the zionist state of Israel and its crimes against the Palestinian people. Only with a broad and determined popular movement can we stop the genocide in Gaza and the expansion of this war into which the Meloni government and the leaders of world imperialism are dragging us.
Only with a broad and determined mobilisation from below can we put an end to the devastation of the environment, the dismantling of healthcare, education and other public services, deindustrialisation, and the misery into which the government itself is plunging us deeper every day.
LET’S ORGANIZE IN EVERY PORT. Every port workers’ committee that is formed provides new eyes and new arms to identify and denounce arms shipments, to block them, to mobilise citizens to collaborate in the blockades, to call on local institutions to enforce Law 185/90 and to have it done by us if they do not. Let’s block our ports if the zionists attack the Sumud Flotilla! Let’s close our ports to this war of the imperialists!
Let’s organise and struggle: see you in the coming days, at the border crossings, in the squares and in the streets!
Autonomous Collective of Port Workers, Genoa
Autonomous Port Workers Group, Livorno
Autonomous Port Committee, Ravenna
European dockers’ meeting, Genoa, 26–27 September 2025
Dockers do not work for war!
For several months now, dockworkers across Europe have been doing what their governments and the European Union have been unwilling or afraid to do. They have refused to be complicit in wars and the genocide of the Palestinian people. They have also fought against the trafficking of arms to Israel and other war zones.
In Marseille, Genoa, Tangier and Athens, workers have organised strikes and protests to prevent the loading and unloading of containers containing arms, ammunition or military equipment.
In Genoa, where more than 50,000 people took to the streets to protest against the genocide in Palestine, showing their support for their dockers, and expressing their solidarity with the Sumud Flotilla, we have chosen to hold the second European dockworkers’ coordination meeting on 26 and 27 September.
The meeting between port delegations on the first day (26 September) aims to discuss and agree on an initial joint mobilisation initiative by European and Mediterranean ports on issues of peace and opposition to war.
On 27 September, port worker delegations will participate in a public meeting at 10.00am alongside workers involved in the direct and/or indirect supply chain of transporting or producing war materials. This meeting will continue the theme of striking against loading and unloading weapons and materials, as well as conscientious objection, both of which were launched by USB in this country.
We do not want to work for war!
