Flags associated with Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as an Iranian flag, were displayed Tuesday at a demonstration outside the Italian Parliament opposing proposed legislation that would adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, Italian newspapers reported.
Il Foglio and Il Giornale reported that a chant praising Hezbollah was also heard during the sit-in and that the flags prompted arguments among some participants.
The demonstration formed part of a nationwide mobilization backed by more than 250 organizations. Opponents of the bill argue that incorporating the IHRA definition and its illustrative examples into Italian law could restrict criticism of Israel and chill political, academic, and cultural speech. Amnesty International Italy made that case in announcing the protest.
The bill, introduced in the Senate, would formally adopt the IHRA working definition and its examples for purposes set out in the legislation.
Democratic Party lawmaker Laura Boldrini and Five Star Movement representative Riccardo Ricciardi attended the demonstration, according to the reports. Il Foglio said the lawmakers had left before the Hamas and Hezbollah flags appeared.
The Union of Italian Jewish Communities criticized the protest campaign, calling it unacceptable to distort or selectively reinterpret the facts surrounding antisemitism and the IHRA definition, Il Giornale reported.
The dispute comes as Italy confronts a sharp rise in reported antisemitic incidents. The Center of Contemporary Jewish Documentation recorded 963 incidents in 2025, about 400% more than in 2022; 320 involved physical acts against people or property.
