The interior ministers of Germany and Italy have written to Brussels urging the creation of an “EU Mission” at the border between Libya and Niger “as soon as possible,” after over 40,000 people traveled through the North African country into Europe this year. “The first months of this year have shown that our efforts up …
Growing row in Italy over claims of NGOs colluding with smugglers
There is growing controversy in Italy over claims that some NGOs involved in the rescue of migrants at sea have been colluding with Libyan people smugglers. Italy’s justice minister slammed the claims as “lies” and the Sicilian prosecutor behind the accusations has been called before the High Council of the Judiciary next week to explain. …
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Italy threatens to close docks to migrant rescue boats to force EU to act over crisis
The Italian government is considering blocking boats carrying migrants from landing at its ports after nearly 11,000 refugees arrived on its shores in five days. It has been reported that the government has given its ambassador to the EU, Maurizio Massari, a mandate to raise the issue formally with the European commission to seek permission …
Italy may grant temporary EU visas to 200,000 migrants
More than 200,000 migrants in Italy may be granted temporary EU visas, enabling them to travel anywhere in Europe. The move, which has been described as a ‘nuclear option’, has been threatened in a bid to deal with the country’s migrant and refugee crisis. It means that new arrivals to Italy would be able to …
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Fascist beach club full of pro-Mussolini paraphernalia raided by Italian police
A Italian beach club venerating former fascist dictator Benito Mussolini has been raided by police. The Punta Canna club in Chioggia, near Venice in northern Italy, is decorated with pictures of Il Duce and signs proclaiming the sight an “anti-democracy, regime run zone” and “don’t break our falls”. Other signs said: “in a country devastated …
HRW: Italy’s new law on torture fails to meet international standards
After 28 years of failure, Italy has finally made torture a crime. But there’s little to celebrate. The compromise text, finally approved on July 5 by the Chamber of Deputies after four years of tough negotiations, falls short of the bar set by European and international bodies of which Italy is a member and fails …
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Italian police use water cannon against refugees occupying Rome square
Police using water cannon and batons have clashed with refugees who had occupied a square in Rome in defiance of an order to leave a building where they had been squatting. Television images from the dawn operation showed people screaming and trying to hit police, who were dressed in riot gear, with sticks. The square, …
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Don’t shout Allahu Akbar in Venice or you’ll get shot, says Venice mayor
An Italian mayor has caused controversy after saying that anyone who shouts “Allahu Akbar,” or “God is great” in Arabic, in the main square of the northern city of Venice, will be shot on the spot. Luigi Brugnaro, a right-wing politician, was speaking about extremism at a conference in the city of Rimini. He said …
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Italian mayor suggests electronic wristbands to control refugees
Italy’s Rovigo Mayor Massimo Bergamin suggested refugees wear an electronic wristband for security reasons, according to Italian publication Rai News. Bergamin, a member of the far-right Lega Nord Party, known for its anti-refugee and Islamophobic sentiments, pointing out the recent rape incidents in which refugees applying for asylum were involved in said: “These incidents once …
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Lazio fans probed over anti-Semitic Anne Frank stickers
Italian police have opened an investigation after Lazio football fans posted stickers of Holocaust victim Anne Frank wearing the jersey of rivals Roma alongside anti-Semitic slogans. The material was found in an area of Rome’s Olympic Stadium occupied by hard-core Lazio fans known as “ultras”. Italian President Sergio Mattarella called the case “alarming”. Anne Frank …
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