Against Racially Motivated Aggression

The Noureddine Adnane Observatory Against Racial Discrimination, in collaboration with ARCI Porco Rosso and Borderline Sicilia, expresses its strong concern for the multiplying cases of racially motivated aggression that havcve taken place in Palermo.

Over the last month, a number of foreign citizens have been savagely beaten. In the majority of cases, those responsable have acted as a group and in pure violence.

For years we have reported daily – but less violent – verbal and psychological discrimination. However, the succession of physical attacks seem to derive from the degerating political and media climate, that identifies the “foreigner” as an enemy to be stigmatised, censured and attacked.

We express our solidarity with all of the victims of these attacks and also invite them to contact us without hesitation via our email or through Facebook.

We invite Palermitans to report and isolate those who initiate this violent, fascist and racist behaviour. We remind those who have perpetrated these attacks, who feel legitimated to act without impunity, that the city of Palermo rejects racial violence.

Below are some links relating to the recent acts of aggression:

http://www.palermotoday.it/video/ballaro-rissa-feriti-consiglio-strada.html

http://www.palermotoday.it/cronaca/aggressione-venditore-palloncini-piazza-sant-anna.html

http://palermo.meridionews.it/articolo/64593/guadagna-giovane-bengalese-aggredito-da-palermitani-era-andato-ad-aprirgli-il-cancello-ora-rischia-un-occhio/

http://palermo.meridionews.it/articolo/66854/lamin-preso-a-colpi-di-pomodoro-perche-straniero-con-salvini-i-razzisti-si-sentono-autorizzati-a-tutto/

Associazione Osservatorio contro le discriminazioni razziali Noureddine Adnane
Arci Porco Rosso
Borderline Sicilia

**Cover photo from Dirittiglobali.it

Project “OpenEurope” – Oxfam Italia, Diaconia Valdese, Borderline Sicilia Onlus

Translation by Richard Braude