Italy has seen an explosion of protests against the introduction of its vaccine passport scheme, with dockers in numerous towns and cities vowing to block ports until the government scraps the ‘green pass’ law.
The ‘green pass’ – which is a mandatory vaccination scheme in all but name, forces workers in both the public and private sector to take the jab in order to be paid.
Workers who try to do their jobs without taking the vaccine will be suspended without pay and face a fine of up to 1,500 euros.
The system is also mandatory for anyone wishing to enter a number of venues, including schools, universities, museums, stadiums, theaters, gyms, and indoor seating spaces at bars and restaurants.
Although Reuters erroneously describes today’s protests against the scheme as “scattered,” they are in fact large and widespread.
Business owner Ugo Mendes Donelli compiled a Twitter thread illustrating the intense level of the backlash.
“Many citizens won’t go to work,” he tweeted. “I can tell they are many because there is no traffic. We had such silence, in my area, only during the lockdown.”
Update from "Green Pass" Italy
The first day of enforcement is today October 15th
Many citizens won't go to work
I can tell they are many because there is no trafficWe had such silence, in my area, only during the lockdown pic.twitter.com/oHZt1fLPPf
— Ugo Mendes Donelli (@hugowiz) October 15, 2021
According to Donelli, despite the media trying to downplay the protest numbers, there are around 10,000 demonstrators at the port of Trieste.
They have also much support
People are bringing food because the workers are going to guard the port 24/7 with no interruption until the government scraps the "Green Pass" lawhttps://t.co/52tIPVc34l
3/n
— Ugo Mendes Donelli (@hugowiz) October 15, 2021
“They have also much support,” he adds. “People are bringing food because the workers are going to guard the port 24/7 with no interruption until the government scraps the “Green Pass” law.”
Students in Bologna are also out in force protesting against the mandate.
Students are protesting in Bologna against the discrimination
A few people here too
Today there are protests all over Italyhttps://t.co/hNn1VaseyV
5/n— Ugo Mendes Donelli (@hugowiz) October 15, 2021
Demonstrators also took to the streets in Rimini and Udine.
— Ugo Mendes Donelli (@hugowiz) October 15, 2021
As well as La Spezia and Milan.
Milanohttps://t.co/LsuKnlY5bh
— Ugo Mendes Donelli (@hugowiz) October 15, 2021
Donelli also notes how unions representing soldiers and police are telling them to join the protests.
Those who wrote the "Green Pass" law must be idiots
Soldiers, and Carabinieri, are compelled to have the "Green Pass" to get in their quarters, to eat, to sleep, to take a shower, to go to the toilet …
Their Unions are telling them to join the protesters pic.twitter.com/49wPYslbzV
— Ugo Mendes Donelli (@hugowiz) October 15, 2021
Under the law, which is being described as a test case for Europe, the unvaccinated in Italy were also banned from using long distance public transport, meaning that holidays, travel for work and visiting relatives has become impossible for many.
The ‘green pass’ also tracks an individual’s location, once again emphasizing how it’s a digital ID card on steroids.
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