Anti-Israel protesters rallied outside the Venice Film Festival’s main building on Wednesday, hours before the opening ceremony of this year’s star-packed festival.

Hand-drawn banners reading “Free Palestine” and “Stop the Genocide” were held up by some 20 individuals belonging to a regional left-wing Italian political collective, AFP reported.

The small protest was a prelude to a larger march slated to take place on Saturday at 5 p.m. local time, with hundreds of local organizations saying they will participate, according to Deadline Hollywood.