Hollywood star Richard Gere on Saturday urged the Italian government to stop "demonising people" and instead help migrants who have been stranded on a Spanish charity boat in the Mediterranean for more than a week.
Gere, who visited the Open Arms ship in a show of support on Friday, joined a news conference on the Italian island of Lampedusa to call for the 160 migrants stuck on the boat to be allowed to disembark.
He compared the political situation in Italy, where League leader and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has repeatedly refused requests by migrant ships to dock, to that of the U.S. administration of Donald Trump.
"We have our problems with refugees coming from Honduras, Salavador, Nicaragua, Mexico... It's very similar to what you are going through here," he said, accusing politicians in both Italy and the United States of demonising migrants.
"This has to stop everywhere on this planet now. And it will stop if we say stop," he said, adding that he only wanted to help people and not get into a political fight.
Salvini, who this week pushed through parliament tougher sanctions on charity ships that seek to bring migrants rescued at sea to Italy, was quick to reply.
"Given this generous millionaire is voicing concern for the fate of the Open Arms migrants, we thank him: he can take back to Hollywood, on his private plane, all the people aboard and support them in his villas. Thank you Richard!" he said in a statement.
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I agree with Salvini all Hollywood types can put up to make a difference or shut up. Take them into your own homes Dems then we'll see how fast you call 911 for help. Instead they hide behind compounds with high fences and advise the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteIf he is so concerned Why not buy them a house and give them money each month in their own country.
DeletePerfect
ReplyDeletesame applies to anti abortionists, if you love all those illegitimate inner city welfare babys so much go grab a handful of them,take them home and raise them so the rest of us tax payers don`t have to pay so much in taxes to fund the welfare system so it can pay for all those welfare baby`s ,put your money where your mouth is.
ReplyDeleteRight on 12:18
ReplyDeleteI like the way you're thinking