Covid Pass Deadline for All Workers in Italy: Fears Protests Will Turn Violent

As some Italians promise to blockade the country after the vaccine pass deadline for all workers, some fear that protests could turn violent.

Since October 15th, the coronavirus vaccine passport known as the Green Pass is required in all places of work in both the public and private sectors, with workers having to either be fully vaccinated, have a negative Covid test no older than 48 hours, or prove natural immunity.

Some workers have voiced their opposition to the implementation of the Green Pass, including dockworkers in Trieste who have promised to stop all activity at the port — “to the bitter end: the blockade will go on for the time necessary to cancel the green pass,” newspaper Il Giornale reports.

“We do not want either Green Pass or swabs. The only opening they can have towards us is to remove the Green Pass,” Trieste dockworker spokesman Stefano Puzzer said.

According to Il Giornale other ports, such as Genoa, are also considering supporting actions in protest of the implementation of the Green Pass.

Confetra, an Italian federation of transport and logistics associations, says they are also worried that as many as 30 per cent of 400,000 drivers do not have the Green Pass, while others from foreign countries may be inoculated with vaccines that are not be recognized under the Green Pass.

Workers who do not present the Green Pass will have their pay withheld but are unlikely to be suspended or fired — at least for now.

Italian law enforcement is also concerned that protests in the coming days against the Green Pass could become violent following last Saturday’s violent protests in Rome.

Alberto Nobili, head of the anti-terrorism division of the Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office, warned of extremists including far-right activists and far-left anarchists could attempt to stoke violence at the protests.

Milan Mayor Beppe Sala said of the protests: “The right to demonstrate is there. When you look at these demonstrations you see a huge amount of normal people but they get carried away by deviated elements in situations of violence that I do not think are acceptable.”

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