Anti-Vaccination Riots Occur in Rome

A woman in Bologna presents her Green Pass to enter a bistro. (Wikimedia Commons)

What began as an approved, public demonstration against mandatory vaccinations in the city center of Rome quickly escalated into a full-scale riot on October 9. Opponents of Italy’s mandatory vaccination program - known as the Green Pass—targeted the office of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghias well as the headquarters of the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), both of whom have pledged their full support of the Green Pass. 

The Green Pass’s approaching vaccination deadline brought opponents of the Pass head-to-head with police, in which protestors called for freedom, chanting, “Draghi, vaffanculo” (An Italian expletive). Police responded to the 10,000 protesters with the use of water cannons and tear gas, as well as making 12 arrests. Several among those arrested were reportedly leaders within the fringe right-wing political party Forza Nuova. In the days since the march, many politicians—including Giuseppe Conte, the leader of the right-leaning Cinque Stelle party—have called for bans on the existence of pro-fascism groups such as Forza Nuova. Emanuele Fiano, a member of the center-left Partito Democratico, is currently drafting a motion to Parliament to advocate for the ban of such parties. 

Draghi first introduced the Green Pass in the summer of 2021 as an optional program that was only required for entrance to specific cultural heritage sites. In September, the Italian government extended the Pass program to all workplaces. Without the Pass, citizens would be barred from entry to public places such as restaurants, gyms, and means of public transportation. 

Italy’s Green Pass does not necessarily mandate vaccination; rather, the Pass confirms that a holder has either received a minimum of one vaccine dose, has tested negative for COVID-19, or has recently recovered from exposure to the virus. Workers found to be out of compliance with their Green Pass are to be suspended from work without compensation, but workers who do not obtain the Pass cannot be fired. 

Although the Green Pass will be the first of its kind among European Union member-states, its measures mirror those already undertaken by the United States, specifically in the states of California, New York, Hawaii, and Oregon. Within the EU, the French, Greek, and Hungarian governments have moved to implement proof-of-vaccination requirements for workers in the healthcare space, while the governments of Greece, the Netherlands, and Switzerland currently require patrons to prove their vaccination status before entering cinemas, theaters, and other closed spaces.  

Despite a reported vaccination rate of 80 percent, Italy has suffered tremendously as a result of the virus, reporting 130,000 COVID-19 deaths, the highest death toll of all EU countries. The severity of the virus, which has significantly impacted Italy’s tourism industry, (a major contributor to the Italian GDP) has pushed the country closer to mandatory vaccination. T However, a vocal minority continues to oppose the terms of the Green Card, rendering the issue a political one—a phenomenon not unparalleled around the rest of the world.