Italian court condemns far right party on anti-migrants words
The Italian Court of Cassation condemned a local section of right-wing party Lega for using the word "clandestini" ("clandestine migrants") in 70 posters they affixed around the town of Saronno. The posters read "Saronno doesn't want clandestines" and were affixed in response to the town welcoming 32 asylum-seekers.
The Court found the word "clandestini" problematic for two reasons.
First, "clandestini" was used as a synonym for "irregular migrants", which technically speaking doesn't apply to the situation of asylum-seekers - who do have valid permits to stay in a country to seek asylum until a decision on their case is taken. The word is legally wrong.
Second - the Court said that the word "clandestini" is problematic regardless of whether it's applied to asylum-seekers or not. The judges recognised that "clandestini", especially when used in a context of hostility towards a certain group of people, can lead to abuses and discrimination - beyond legal categories.
Italian court condemns far right party on anti-migrants words
The Italian Court of Cassation condemned a local section of right-wing party Lega for using the word "clandestini" ("clandestine migrants") in 70 posters they affixed around the town of Saronno. The posters read "Saronno doesn't want clandestines" and were affixed in response to the town welcoming 32 asylum-seekers.
The Court found the word "clandestini" problematic for two reasons.
First, "clandestini" was used as a synonym for "irregular migrants", which technically speaking doesn't apply to the situation of asylum-seekers - who do have valid permits to stay in a country to seek asylum until a decision on their case is taken. The word is legally wrong.
Second - the Court said that the word "clandestini" is problematic regardless of whether it's applied to asylum-seekers or not. The judges recognised that "clandestini", especially when used in a context of hostility towards a certain group of people, can lead to abuses and discrimination - beyond legal categories.