A survivor recalled in 2017 he had been told that rioters at one point set a tire alight and threw it into a shop.
[7] King Idris of Libya responded by ordering secret police to evacuate the Jewish population, transporting 3,000 Jews into a former British military base in the Libyan Desert.
[6] Staff and workers for the Italian Alitalia airline also reacted by shielding Jews who had fled to the airport for safety.
Staff repelled rioting mobs from getting to the airport and managed to hand out numerous plane tickets to Jews.
[7] Alitalia's efforts were assisted by Chief Rabbi of Rome Elio Toaff and the Government of Italy.