Rome Stop the War demonstration: Conte's M5S brings almost 100 thousand people to the square, but peace without defense is a utopia”

Today in #Rome #GiuseppeConte and his #M5S bring 100 thousand people to the square for the “Stop the War” demonstration. From #Barbero to #Travaglio, many big names are present. But without defense, #peace is a utopia: without #NATO or a European army, how do we defend ourselves? Deterrence is the key.

Rome, 5 April 2025 – Today, Saturday 5 April, Rome was the beating heart of a large demonstration for peace, organized by the 5 Star Movement under the leadership of Giuseppe Conte.

The march, which started at 13:00 PM from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II and ended at the Imperial Forums, saw massive participation: according to the organizers, over 100 people filled the streets of the Capital to say “No to rearmament” and “Stop the war.” A day of protest, music and speeches, which brought together politicians, intellectuals and activists, but which leaves crucial questions open about the real feasibility of a peace without an adequate defense capacity.

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The procession and the participants: a heterogeneous square

The demonstration began with a procession through the streets of central Rome, with rainbow peace flags, tricolors and banners of the M5S, but also of Rifondazione Comunista, Anpi and Palestine. Giuseppe Conte opened the procession, flanked by very young members of the pentastellati, while the tail of the human snake extended to Piazza Venezia, filling via dei Fori Imperiali up to the Colosseum.

"We are 100 thousand!”, declared Conte from the stage, a number that, judging by the turnout, does not seem exaggerated. On the final stage, moderated by the M5S vice president Paola Taverna, numerous interventions alternated.

Among the characters present:

• Alessandro Barbero (historian)

• Tomaso Montanari (Rector of the University for Foreigners of Siena)

• Giuseppe Onufrio (of Greenpeace)

• Marco Travaglio (director of Fatto Quotidiano)

• Jeffrey Sachs (American economist)

• Marc Botenga (Belgian MEP for Left)

• Mario Tozzi (geologist)

• Elisa Sermarini (of the Even Numbers Network)

• Walter Massa (president of Arci)

• Emiliano Manfredonia (of the ACLI)

• Barbara Spinelli (journalist)

• Father Alex Zanotelli 

• Flavio Lotti (of the Peace Table)

• Giorgio Parisi (Nobel Prize)

Representing the 5 Star Movement:

• Giuseppe Conte (representative of the M5S)

• Stefano Patuanelli (group leaders in the Senate of the M5S)

• Riccardo Ricciardi (group leaders in the Chamber of M5S)

• Pasquale Tridico (group leader of the M5S in the European Parliament)

• Roberto Fico (former President of the Chamber of Deputies of the M5S)

• Alessandra Todde (Governor of Sardinia for the M5S)

While for the Democratic Party and the Green and Left Alliance:

• Francesco Boccia (leader of the PD delegation in the Senate)

• Nicola Fratoianni (PD delegate)

• Angelo Bonelli (of the Green and Left Alliance – Avs)

Also present were some representatives of Rifondazione Comunista.

The interventions: a chorus for peace, but with some off notes

From the stage, the message was unequivocal: no to the 800 billion European rearmament plan, yes to investments in healthcare, schools and work. Conte closed the demonstration with a fiery speech:

"Today Meloni's fake honeymoon, built with lies, is broken. An alternative government starts from this square! We do not want a rearmament plan that will lead Europe to a war economy. We want a Europe that gives priority to health and work!”.

He then thanked those present, even those without M5S membership cards: “We have made this square available to a people who want peace".
Alessandro Barbero recalled that “universal peace has proven to be an illusion”, while Father Alex Zanotelli denounced “the West's indifference to the massacre in Gaza”.

Jeffrey Sachs criticized Europe's warmongering approach, and Barbara Spinelli attacked the PD for voting for the European Parliament's resolution on the rearmament plan. Fratoianni and Bonelli stressed the importance of an alternative to the right-wing government, while Marco Travaglio joked about the lack of a real European strategy for peace.

No to Rearmament. Loud and Clear. #let's stop them pic.twitter.com/91ZDKmXJZQ

- Giuseppe Conte (@GiuseppeConteIT) April 5, 2025

Considerations: Peace without defense is an unattainable dream

Today's demonstration demonstrated the M5S's ability to mobilize a large and heterogeneous crowd, but the message of peace risks remaining a utopia without a realistic analysis of the geopolitical situation.

Without weapons and defenses, peace is not possible: if a country attacks us, how do we defend ourselves? History teaches us that peace is achieved only when a country has the ability to dissuade a potential enemy from attacking, by displaying credible military force.

It is the principle of deterrence, which has guaranteed decades of stability in Europe thanks to NATO. Without this protection, Italy and Europe would be like a country without law enforcement: vulnerable and at the mercy of those who want to take advantage of it.

In an ideal world, we could defend ourselves with “the flowers in the cannons”, but in the real world, without a common European army or an alliance like NATO, we would be forced to look after ourselves, with all the difficulties that this entails.

The M5S and its allies are right to ask for more investment in health and employment, but ignoring the need for a common European defense is a mistake. Peace is not built only through negotiations, but also through the ability to assert respect.

Today's demonstration was a strong signal of democratic participation, but without a strategy that combines diplomacy and deterrence, the risk is that it will remain just a beautiful dream. The reality, unfortunately, is much harsher: to have peace, you have to be ready to defend it, even with weapons, if necessary.