The Italian town where residents and immigrants travel on separate buses

[Tender Branson]

A segregated bus route for immigrants is being introduced in an Italian town.

The move has been met with accusations of discrimination and revived the debate over the treatment of non-EU citizens in the country.

But Foggia's mayor said it was for the safety of the migrants, and that they would be free to travel on any service.

The 24/i bus service will take foreigners directly to an immigrant hostel, bypassing a working-class area served by the existing 24 bus.

Authorities say friction has been rising between residents of the Mezzanone neighbourhood and 800 or so migrants who live in the hostel after a series of robberies blamed on foreigners.

'At the heart of the decision are the clashes between immigrants and residents,' centre-left mayor Orazio Ciliberti was quoted as saying in La Repubblica newspaper.

'We are not talking about racism, but about providing a better service,' he added.

The news of the route, which starts on Monday, prompted comparisons with Apartheid-era South Africa and the segregated buses in the southern United States during the 1950s.

Habib Ben Sghaier, of immigrant association Asci, branded the move racist. 'This is not how to achieve integration,' he said.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right coalition has recently introduced a raft of anti-immigrant legislation, which has boosted his popularity.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1167113/The-Italian-town-residents-immigrants-travel-separate-buses.html

[minionofmidas]

That's a real city.

[Keystone Phil]

This is the thread where everyone acts like this is typical across Italy and do the usual "Italy is backwards" ranting.

Oh, and note how the center-left Mayor proposed this but Berlusconi/the center-right will be the focus of scorn.

[Meeker]

Typical Italian policy. They really need to get out of the 1940's.

But this is the type of stuff you're going to get with a right-wing disgrace like Berlusconi in charge.

[Keystone Phil]

Typical Italian policy. They really need to get out of the 1940's.

But this is the type of stuff you're going to get with a right-wing disgrace like Berlusconi in charge.

...

I can't tell if this is serious or just bait, in response to my previous post.

[Associate Justice PiT]

Typical Italian policy. They really need to get out of the 1940's.

But this is the type of stuff you're going to get with a right-wing disgrace like Berlusconi in charge.

...

I can't tell if this is serious or just bait, in response to my previous post.

     I'm pretty sure it's just sarcasm.

[Meeker]

[Keystone Phil]

As I privately told Meeker, I came so close to responding, thinking he was totally serious.  

You guys just love poking the bee hive...

[JohnFKennedy]

You guys just love poking the bee hive...

Phil = Amy Winehouse?

[Hash]

I thought this would be some northern crap town in Lombardia or Venetia ruled by the Lega Nord. But no. It's a town ruled by the centre-left. Disgusting.

[minionofmidas]

Typical Italian policy. They really need to get out of the 1940's.

'60s. When comparing to Germany, that is.
Comparing to America, maybe 1840's might sound better.

But what do you expect? Italy has become an immigrant destination very, very recently.

[bgwah]

With a total fertility rate of 1.3, they had better start getting used to immigrants...

[Keystone Phil]

With a total fertility rate of 1.3, they had better start getting used to immigrants...

Yeah, they have a really serious problem over there with the birth rate but I think it has gotten better recently.

I remember when I went there in 2000, my tour guide told us that only three "natural" Italians were born on New Year's Day 2000. The rest born that day were the children of immigrants.

[Hash]

Italy's fertility rate is still in one of the lowest quartiles in the EU27 at 1.4.

France is on top at 2.

Italy's population growth rate is -0.02.

[Keystone Phil]

Italy's fertility rate is still in one of the lowest quartiles in the EU27 at 1.4.

France is on top at 2.

Italy's population growth rate is -0.02.

Yet another reason why they better get their act together...

[dead0man]

Isn't Italy full of Catholics?  How can they be having a birth rate problem?

Every sperm is sacred

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I thought this would be some northern crap town in Lombardia or Venetia ruled by the Lega Nord. But no. It's a town ruled by the centre-left. Disgusting.

But not surprising. When it came to racist housing policies in the '50's and '60's one of the worst towns in Britain was Blackburn; almost always under Labour control. This sort of racism in a society relativel unused to mass immigration cuts across "normal" boundaries.

[Keystone Phil]

Isn't Italy full of Catholics?  How can they be having a birth rate problem?

This isn't exactly the Italy of the Pre-1950s... 

[12th Doctor]

Isn't Italy full of Catholics?  How can they be having a birth rate problem?

Every sperm is sacred

Belief in God in Europe:



While Italy is still comparatively high for Europe....

[Tender Branson]

Call for Italian-only public transport seats

An Italian deputy from the anti-immigration Northern League party has sparked controversy after he said public transport seats in his constituency of Milan should be reserved for Italians only.
"Reserve seats for people from Milan, like those reserved for handicapped people and women. Because soon, if immigration does not stop, they (local Italians) will become a minority to protect," said Matteo Salvini, Milan town councillor and Vice-Secretary for the Northern League.

As condemnation from the left and right parties spread, the head of the Northern League's local branch said the proposition by Mr Salvini, who is a candidate for the June European elections, was "a joke, a provocation".

He said he had asked the head of Milan's transport board to reserve "one or two train carriages" for women irrespective of their nationality, after hundreds complained of experiencing aggression and insults during journeys.

The communist party called Mr Salvini's proposal "racist", while the leader of the centre-right Democratic party, Dario Franceschini, described it as "odious" and compared it to laws of former fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

The Northern League, a junior coalition partner of Silvio Berlusconi's government, seeks to crack down on clandestine immigration.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25452073-5012749,00.html

[dead0man]

How do you say "Rosa Parks" in Arabic?

[Keystone Phil]

How do you say "Rosa Parks" in Arabic?

Low blow

Anyway, yeah, this is obviously horrible. The Northern League is just sickening. By the way, this ought to be highlighted...

As condemnation from the left and right parties spread, the head of the Northern League's local branch said the proposition by Mr Salvini, who is a candidate for the June European elections, was "a joke, a provocation".

And then there's this hilarious error...

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[patrick1]

How do you say "Rosa Parks" in Arabic?

Get off the bus and back in the house unless you are accompanied by a male relative.

[dead0man]

How do you say "Rosa Parks" in Arabic?

Get off the bus and back in the house unless you are accompanied by a male relative.

NICE!

[memphis]

Just go out and make the immigrant buses as cool as possible. Show that they are just as great.