Italian far-right minister wants persecution of Roma

This 2012 video is called An overview of a gypsy [Roma] camp located in the middle of a trash pile on the outskirts of Catania, Italy.

Translated from Dutch NOS TV today:

The Italian Minister of Internal Affairs Matteo Salvini wants to register how many Roma people live in the country. His intention is to expel Roma without valid papers. “We unfortunately have to keep Roma with Italian citizenship here”, he said on TV channel TeleLombardia. …

It is estimated that between 130,000 and 170,000 Roma live in Italy. About half are said to be Italian citizens. … Many Roma also complain that they are victims of discrimination in Italy.

‘Horrible history‘

Salvini is the leader of the anti-immigration party Lega and has long advocated special policies for Roma. For example, his party has suggested making it easier to separate Roma children from their families if they do not attend school. Salvini also said earlier that he wants to “bulldozer” Roma camps and he prefers to accuse the group of being criminals rather than working.

The proposal to count the Roma caused indignation in Italian media. Newspaper La Repubblica writes that Salvini causes a “shock” with his plan. …

Several opposition members say that Italy has a horrible history with censuses. They refer to the counts of Jews by the fascist regime of Mussolini, in the late 30’s of the last century.

Most of these Jews counted by Mussolini were later murdered in concentration camps like Auschwitz.

“The minister does not seem to know that an origin-based count is not allowed in Italy”, said the chairman of an advocacy group for Roma and Sinti. He says that it has long been shown how many people live in legal and illegal Roma camps. He also points out that most undocumented Roma are stateless and can therefore not be deported.

Salvini’s ‘Roma register’ marks a dangerous step towards fascism. How the left responds will be crucial to turning the tide against the racists: here.

Following his threat to expel “all 600,000” immigrants from Italy, Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini (Lega) now plans to register and count all Sinti and Roma living in the country. Such a move would be the prelude to mass, fascist-style repression: here.

The closure of Italian ports to civilian rescue ships by Lega Interior Minister Matteo Salvini goes hand in hand with the lies and slanders made against non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and their rescue ships. Politicians and journalists are attempting to isolate volunteer aid workers and turn popular opinion against them: here.

Paradoxes within the Italian government coalition: here.