League ready to mobilize if Salvini convicted says Crippa

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 18 - The League is ready to mobilize if its leader, Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, will be convicted at a hearing scheduled on Friday as part of an ongoing trial in Palermo, the party's deputy leader Andrea Crippa said Wednesday.
    Prosecutors in the Sicilian city have requested a six-year jail term for him on charges of abduction and refusal to perform public acts for not allowing the disembarkation of 147 migrants rescued by the Spanish NGO Open Arms vessel for 19 days on August 14-20 2019 when he was interior minister.
    Noting that Salvini could be found guilty of "defending the borders of our country from the invasion of illegal immigrants", Crippa told Affaritaliani.it that "a potential conviction would be a very grave fact, a conviction for the entire Italian population, Parliament and thus for the cabinet elected by citizens.
    "The whole party stands with its leader and is ready to mobilize in the event of a conviction", concluded Crippa.
    In October, members of Salvini's League party staged a protest in Palermo to express solidarity with their leader after local prosecutors requested the six-year jail term, including Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara and Regional Affairs and Autonomy Minister Roberto Calderoli, as well as national and regional lawmakers. Salvini's measure was part of the League leader's controversial closed ports policy for NGO-run migrant rescue ships when he was interior minister five years ago. (ANSA).