Politics · Italy · 1 hr ago
Ancona council members walk out over Gaza comparison by FdI councillor
Ancona’s centre-left councillors walked out of a city council meeting on Tuesday, October 13.
They were protesting comments by Maria Grazia De Angelis, a councillor from Brothers of Italy, a right-wing party.
Speaking about the harsh conditions faced by persecuted Christians around the world, she said Gaza was like the Riviera Romagnola by comparison.
The Riviera Romagnola is a coastal area in Italy.
The comparison prompted the walkout during the council session.
The centre-left councillors said her words humiliated the council and insulted the suffering of Gaza’s population.
The account gives no further response or next step.
Ancona city council members from the Democratic Party left a meeting in protest over a Gaza comparison by Fratelli d’Italia councillor Maria Grazia De Angelis.
De Angelis said that, compared with the harsh conditions of persecuted Christians around the world, Gaza was “the Romagna Riviera.”
The walkout took place during the council meeting on Tuesday, 13 October.
The Democratic Party councillors said her words humiliated the council and offended the suffering of Gaza’s population.
- Who
- Democratic Party councillors in Ancona walked out; the remarks were made by Fratelli d’Italia councillor Maria Grazia De Angelis.
- What
- The councillors left the council meeting in protest over De Angelis’s comparison of Gaza with the Romagna Riviera.
- When
- Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
- Where
- Ancona city council.
- Why
- The Democratic Party councillors said the remarks offended the suffering of Gaza’s population and humiliated the council.
Democratic Party councillors
Maria Grazia De Angelis
Remarks
Democratic Party councillors
They called her words shameful and said they offended the suffering of Gaza’s population.
Maria Grazia De Angelis
She compared Gaza with the Romagna Riviera while discussing the harsh conditions of persecuted Christians around the world.
Response
Democratic Party councillors
They left the council meeting in protest.
Maria Grazia De Angelis
Not stated
During Ancona’s council meeting, Maria Grazia De Angelis compared Gaza with the Romagna Riviera while discussing persecuted Christians.
Democratic Party councillors left the meeting in protest.
- Councillor
- Maria Grazia De Angelis
- Party
- Fratelli d’Italia
- Council
- Ancona
- Date
- 13 October 2026
- Protesting members
- Democratic Party councillors
- Comparison
- Gaza described as “the Romagna Riviera
What people are saying
compared with them, Gaza is the Romagna Riviera
Shameful words, which demean and humiliate the institution of the city council and intolerably offend the suffering and tragedy of Gaza’s population









