Ravenna activists to protest against arms traffic through local port

A protest is scheduled for August 27 at 10:00 AM in Piazza del Popolo, Ravenna, organized by the ‘Coordinamento no armi dal porto di Ravenna’, ‘Ravenna in Comune’, and ‘Bds Ravenna e Basta complicità’. The demonstration opposes the alleged use of the Port of Ravenna for arms trafficking destined for Israel.

The protest coincides with a hearing before the Council of State regarding a request by Ravenna Customs to suspend a previous ruling by the Emilia-Romagna TAR. That ruling had ordered the customs authorities to make arms traffic data public. Activists are demanding transparency, citing Law 185/1990 and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which prohibit supplying weapons to governments responsible for war crimes.

Organizers have criticized the lack of intervention from the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Municipality of Ravenna to support the right to transparency. They also raised concerns regarding the port's infrastructure, noting that recent expansions in the Trattaroli peninsula and existing logistics hubs could be utilized for military mobility within the European Baltic-Adriatic corridor.