# Italian rural fuel cost protests

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/italian-rural-fuel-cost-protests
> Updated: 2026-08-14T16:59:21.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

Massimiliano Accetturo, a gardener from Rocchetta Sant’Antonio in the province of Foggia, began using his horse, Maja, for work and personal errands to mitigate rising fuel costs. Accetturo, who maintains a stable of eight horses, noted that the practice is more economical than using a motor vehicle and allows for closer contact with nature.

Following these actions, Accetturo has become a symbolic figure in protests against high fuel prices in Italy’s rural municipalities. The Coordinamento Nazionale Piccoli Comuni Italiani has designated Accetturo and Maja as spokespeople for residents in internal areas. The organization argues that in towns with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, the lack of public transport makes automobiles a necessity, yet high fuel prices and limited competition at local stations create significant economic burdens.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-14: Italy small towns use horse rider as symbol against high fuel costs

A resident using a horse to avoid high fuel prices in Rocchetta Sant’Antonio has become a symbol for Italian small towns protesting rising mobility costs.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italy-small-towns-use-horse-rider-as-symbol-against-high-fuel-costs

### 2026-08-12: Italian gardener uses horse for transport due to fuel costs

Faced with rising fuel prices, gardener Massimiliano Accetturo in Foggia, Italy, has begun using his horse for work and daily travel.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italian-gardener-uses-horse-for-transport-due-to-fuel-costs

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Cite as: Italian rural fuel cost protests. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/italian-rural-fuel-cost-protests