Protesters Dump 500 Trunks in Milan's Piazza Duomo to Symbolize Collapse of Live Entertainment

On an unspecified date in October 2020, approximately 1,300 protesters representing 570,000 workers from Italy's live entertainment industry staged a performance-like protest in Piazza Duomo, Milan, by unloading 500 black trunks used to transport stage equipment. The trunks, resembling coffins, symbolized the collapse of the sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dressed in dark clothing, the protesters created a funereal atmosphere, captured in photographs by Andrea Cherchi. The movement, called "Bauli in Piazza" (Trunks in the Square), called on the Italian government to implement new rules to ensure the economic sustainability of events and avoid further restrictions. The protest highlighted the economic damage from lockdowns and the subsequent Phase 2 with reduced hours, limited access, and costly sanitation measures. Support came from public figures including singer Roby Facchinetti and Milan's urban planning councillor Pierfrancesco Maran, who expressed solidarity and urged government action. The event was covered by Artribune.