After leaders of the Italian populist Five Star Movement (M5S) called journalists “jackals” and “whores” Italian press unions have called on journalists to join protests. Journalists’ unions, FNSI and Usigrai organised flash mobs on Tuesday in major Italian cities, as well as in Brussels and London. “Freedom of the press is under attack,” said Vittorio di Trapani, president of Usigrai. “It is clear that this is not only about isolated cases, but a strategy to hit journalists, the freedom of the press, and therefore the right for citizens to be informed.”