In Genoa, Italian dockworkers intercepted the Saudi ship Bahri Yanbu, refusing to allow its weapons cargo to pass through the port. The ship, which had arrived from the United States and was carrying arms produced by Italian weapons manufacturer Leonardo, was reportedly transporting heavy military equipment, including cannons and possibly tanks, destined for Israel’s war effort.

At dawn, workers boarded the vessel and documented its cargo, ammunition, explosives, armoured vehicles, and tanks, exposing the scale of arms shipments moving quietly through European ports. Their message was unequivocal: “We are not working for war.” Their stand is part of a growing wave of union-led actions across Europe, rejecting complicity in the destruction of Gaza.

This is not the first time Genoa’s dockworkers have taken such action. In 2019, they blocked another shipment disguised as civilian cargo but filled with weapons, an early sign of organised resistance to Europe’s role in fuelling conflicts in the Middle East. Now, unions across Italy and Spain are joining forces, calling for an international assembly in September to coordinate efforts against the use of European ports as hubs for war.

For Palestinians under siege in Gaza, these acts of solidarity resonate deeply. At a time when Western governments continue to arm Israel despite the catastrophic toll on civilian life, it is ordinary workers who are raising their voices and taking risks to stop the machinery of war. Their defiance carries a powerful reminder: even in the face of state-backed genocide, humanity finds ways to resist.