Green Pass protests planned across Italy after 'No Paura Day' rally in Turin.

Demonstrations against Italy's new covid Green Pass rules are planned in more than 80 towns and cities across the country on Saturday 24 July, starting everywhere at 17.30.

The rallies, organised via social media, are against the so-called Green Pass which will soon be mandatory for indoor dining in restaurants and for access to cultural and sporting venues.

• Italy to require covid Green Pass for restaurants, cinemas and gyms

The protests follow the 'No Paura Day' (No Fear Day) rally in Turin which attracted several thousand people on Thursday night, hours after premier Mario Draghi unveiled the new Green Pass restrictions.

The health pass, in use in Italy since June, shows that people have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from covid-19, and is available in both digital and paper format.

Until now the 'certificazione verde' has only been required for international travel in Europe as well as facilitating entry to nursing homes and large events, such as concerts, football matches or weddings.

However from 6 August the pass will be required to dine at indoor tables in restaurants and bars as well as being mandatory for access to museums, cinemas, gyms, swimming pools and sports stadiums.

• Turin protest over Italy's covid Green Pass

Protesters plan to demonstrate against what they define variously as "passport slavery and the obligation to vaccinate," the "covid scam" and the "dictatorship of the Green Pass," reports news agency ANSA.

There are reportedly demonstrations planned today in major Italian cities including Bergamo, Bologna, Florence, Genoa, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Rome and once again in Turin, according to La Stampa newspaper.

The rallies come amid heated debate in Italy over the merits of the Green Pass, with those in favour saying it will incentivise people into getting vaccinated and reduce the spread of covid-19, while those against the vaccine say they are being penalised for choosing not to be vaccinated.

• Green Pass: Rome surge in vaccine bookings

Many regions in Italy recorded a "boom" in vaccination bookings yesterday, reports ANSA, following Draghi's appeal to get vaccinated.

The country's coronavirus emergency commissioner General Figliuolo, stated that there was a jump of "between 15 and 200 per cent" in appointments.

"The use of vaccine certificates is needed to keep the economy open” - Draghi said - “An invitation not to get vaccinated is an invitation to die, or to let others die. No vaccines mean a new lockdown.”

Details about the Green Pass can be found - in Italian - on the Certificazione Verde website while for official information about the covid-19 situation in Italy - in English - see the health ministry website.

Photo ANSA