On March 12, a train carrying tanks rolled through Pisa. However, the weapons shipment came to a halt, and the train was unable to continue for several hours. Activists from “No Base” had quickly occupied the tracks.
We spoke with Paola and Davidee from “Movimento No Base” about the background of the action.
Can you introduce yourselves and the Movimento No Base to our readers?
Paola: The Movimento No Base was founded in the spring of 2022, when we found out about plans for a military base in our territory. First, we organized a public assembly with people from the area to collectively discover what this new project entailed What we’ve discovered through our work is that this project represents a massive change for our region. Here between Livorno and Pisa, there are already several military bases that coordinate with one another and, for example, participate in military missions in Mediterranean area, Africa, Middle-East. Among them is Camp Darby, the largest U.S. military base outside the United States, located in a natural park.
Because of this decision — made from above — to develop the region into a military hub, which entails massive expenditures of public funds, we have organized ourselves.
Since 2022, we have sought to bring together various territories within the “Movimento No Base” network. We have begun to confront the war regime. In our view, this regime consists not only of infrastructure but also of cultural aspects, for example, the transformation of schools and universities in the direction of militarization. We want to bring people from different sectors together. Since last year, we have also been working more closely with workers, especially in light of the recent strikes in September and October in support of Palestine.
Davidee: In 2022, we learned about the planned military base. This led to a large demonstration with 10,000 people protesting at the site where the military base was to be expanded. That was the birth of the Movimento, and as a result of the protest, the military base was to be built at a different location — though still in the Pisa area. This was intended to make people believe that the original project had been scrapped. In reality, however, the new plan called for doubling the size of the military base to roughly 200 soccer fields for 500 million euros. Special forces of the Italian military police are to be stationed there, and they also conduct training for military and paramilitary forces in other countries, such as Sudan or for Palestinian authorities. They are thus part of Italy’s and NATO’s neocolonialism.
What actions do you carry out?
Davidee: Following the large demonstration in 2022, we have continued our work in the city of Pisa and throughout the region. We also have a space – the Peace presidium of Tre Pini – just a few meters from the military base where we organize. In addition, we are working with students and discussing militarization with them from a cultural perspective. “No Base” spaces have also been established in the small towns around Pisa, where people can get information and organize. The second part of the planned base is to be built in Pontedera, which is why the Movement is organizing there as well.
We are also collaborating with the pacifist-Catholic movement of churches in the area. We are trying to bring together different people under the common goal of stopping the construction of the military base and fighting for peace instead of militarization.
Paola: We’re working in schools to address the culture of militarization — how the military presents itself as an employer and also creates a culture in textbooks and classrooms that prioritizes war and the natural competition between people. In the last summer, we also launched a campaign against the government’s call for young people to take up arms. So we’re trying to block the war machine through our actions, but also on desertion from the culture of war which affects public opinion.
Davidee: An important step of No Base movement has been the demonstration in 2023 where we symbolically entered the military base. That sent a strong signal that we ourselves must take practical action to free our lives from war. This was only possible thanks to the political and cultural groundwork and the information provided to people in the region.
Paola: The political parties at the national level are determined to carry out this project. And the universities also play a major role in this. But the majority of society does not want this military base; that is another reason why, as a first step, we must fight for the information that the political parties do not want to disclose. The state’s first move is to keep all information under wraps, but people should know about it when bombs and ammunition are being stored near us.
So is your goal to raise awareness, or what is your objective?
Davidee: Last Thursday’s blockade was a very important step for the anti-war movement in Italy. Last September and October, we had a significant movement for Palestine that shifted public opinion.
The goal was clear: to disrupt the chain of this war, just as the dockworkers had already done. We realized that we need to continue organizing and block the war at its logistical source. And that it is possible for everyone to stop the war.
When we received word that a very large military convoy of vehicles, ammunition, and explosives was coming from the port of Piombino, we quickly gathered 15–20 people and stopped the train by blocking the tracks. At the same time, we issued a call for support, which 150 people immediately answered. The police could not intervene because the legitimacy of this action was too strong. Without the network we had already built up in the region and our connections to the railway workers, the port workers, and the people from the cities, it would not have worked this way.
The convoy was supposed to go to northeastern Italy, which is the corridor through which weapons are sent to Ukraine. So we assume the shipment was intended for that region, since the Italian military, for example, has a significant presence in countries like Romania. However, there is also the possibility that the convoy will be loaded onto ships and sent to the Middle East. For us, it was also about the fact that the state sent a military train through a civilian station at 6 p.m. without informing anyone. If something goes wrong, it could lead to a tragedy. We don’t want decisions like this being made over our heads.
Paola: Last week’s action was the result of networks being formed between a wide variety of actors. Otherwise, spreading the information wouldn’t have worked. In the end, as a result of the action, the train was delayed by over ten hours.
How does the public react to your actions? Do you receive support, or are there attempts to discredit you?
Paola: People’s reactions have been very positive. There have been a lot of comments on our social media posts, and we’ve received many messages from people who want to participate in the rallies or other blockade actions. This shows us that a majority of the population does not want war, and that the clearest sign of this is to put one’s body on the line against it.
After the genocide, many people expressed this desire, but many were also afraid. In that sense, the action was effective in showing that it is possible. The police couldn’t react as brutally because they didn’t want to draw even more public attention to this action.
Davidee: Of course, we also know that the weapons ultimately reached their destination anyway. Unfortunately, we couldn’t dig a hole in the ground and bury the weapons in it. We aren’t naive, but we want to show that everyone can do something, can organize. There are more of us than them, and we can also be stronger than them. We can stand in the way of war logistics. This can apply to military bases, but also to the shipment of weapons at ports or the involvement of universities, as the Palestine movement has demonstrated worldwide. We want to expand our mobilizations and let people participate in whatever way they can.
War on the outside always means war on the inside, too. The tank blockers are generally not exactly the state’s best friends – What kind of repression have you experienced, and how do you deal with it?
Davidee: We’ve already seen retaliation for our action. Our Peace Presidium in the woods was cleared as a result. We now want to rebuild this site even bigger and with the participation of even more people. Of course, the state is determined to put people in prison or punish them harshly.
During the Palestine protests, harsh laws were passed regarding road blockades and the arms industry. Nevertheless, this led to the largest movement in decades. So it’s about the extent to which we can build legitimacy for our movement and our ability to defend ourselves against war and its consequences. We are very confident that in the future, our actions will also be met with the solidarity needed to protect us from the state.
Paola: War abroad and war at home are two sides of the same phenomenon. Repression serves not only to punish but, above all, to discipline and discourage resistance. But attempts to criminalize the movement and stop the mobilizations are not working. Even after this legal basis for criminalizing blockades was established during the two years, everything was blocked anyway. The important thing is that they are now reacting to our actions, and we are no longer just reacting to what they do. Criminalization has not proven effective. If we take a step forward and strengthen our mobilizations, then we will be in a better, more active position.
Davidee: Our constitution states that Italy rejects war and does not participate in wars. It is in line with the mentality of our society that it does not support such wars. The Italian state is in a bad situation; it doesn’t know how to handle the fact that it is supporting the U.S. in its war against Iran. While they say they are not at war, weapons are being sent to the war zones and the Italian navy is being sent to Cyprus. There are U.S. bases all over Italy, where troops from the war in Iran are arriving and new ones are being sent. We know we are at war. The government, however, does not know how to legitimize this. This means that the state will certainly act more forcefully, but it is treading on very, very thin ice.
Gaza, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Cuba – What does the anti-militarist movement need for 2026?
Paola: Together, we can block the war regime in all its forms. We must also strengthen our social alternative—the way we live together. We, as the Movimento, are also undergoing a major transformation. Overall, this is a crucial point for the anti-war movement worldwide. How can we create a society that fosters peace and community rather than war? War is the natural outcome of the current system, and it requires war to perpetuate itself. We are also in dialogue with other regions experiencing the exact same effects of militarization, such as Sicily, Sardinia and many other territories. There, militarization goes hand in hand with impoverishment of people, fragmentation and violence against the environment.
Davidee: Sardinia is another example of this. Militarization is a means of breaking down the social fabric and destroying resistance in regions. Pisa and Livorno have a long history of worker and student resistance. We cannot call Thursday’s action a victory, but we do say it was an important step because we were able to spread a message of resistance that must continue.
Paola: We’re talking about an internationalism of workers and students who take action based on their living places and send a message that they reject war and, in this sense, stand up for internationalism. This is a very powerful tool, and we say that everyone, everywhere, can practice internationalism.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Davidee: We hope that we can connect our struggles even more in the future. Conditions in Italy are different from those in Germany, and the behavior of the states also differs. But we are convinced that there are ports or military bases everywhere that are ripe for blocking. Everyone can find a target and contribute to creating peace. We are here for those who want to fight alongside us.
Thank you very much!