Nearly 10,000 protesters gathered on the streets of Northern Italy on Saturday, February 7, protesting against the excessive environmental, social, and economic cost of the Olympics.

Protesters cited frustration with generally deemed the Olympics a misuse of money and resources while housing prices are unaffordable and public meeting places are insufficient.

Some protesters called out the inclusion of fossil fuel giants like Eni, a leading global oil company, as sponsors for the 2026 Olympics.

Others decried Israel’s participation in the games given the country’s genocide of Gaza and ongoing ceasefire violations, as well as the deployment of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Italy.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the protesters “enemies of Italy and Italians” in a Facebook post on Sunday.