Pro-Palestinian Activists Stopped From Disrupting Milan Cortina Olympics Torch Relay

Last Updated:December 07, 2025, 10:32 IST

Italian police stopped pro-Palestinian activists from approaching the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics torch relay in Rome.

Italian singer Achille Lauro carries the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics torch in front of the Colosseum in Rome. (AP Photo)

Italian police announced on Saturday that two pro-Palestinian activist groups were stopped from approaching the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics torch relay during its early stages. Authorities removed both groups, each with around 15 individuals, before they reached the relay route in Rome.

Additionally, a third group of about 10 activists, under police surveillance, waved Palestinian flags as the relay passed La Sapienza, the largest university in the city. Near the American embassy, three individuals carried signs supporting Venezuela.

In October, more than two million demonstrators marched in over 100 cities across Italy to protest the war in Gaza.

Olympic champion swimmer Gregorio Paltrinieri began the torch relay at the statue-lined Stadio dei Marmi. The torch travelled 33 kilometers (20 miles) and concluded the day’s journey at Piazza del Popolo. The relay will cover a total of 12,000 kilometers (nearly 7,500 miles), passing through all 110 Italian provinces, before arriving at Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony on February 6. In total, there will be 10,001 torch bearers.

The next stops on the torch relay are Viterbo on Sunday and Terni on Monday.

With AP Inputs

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