The League said Wednesday that its
lawmakers will take to the streets of Palermo on October 18 to
show solidarity for party leader, Deputy Premier and Transport
Minister Matteo Salvini when the next hearing of the Open Arms
case takes place in the Sicilian city.
Palermo prosecutors have requested a six-year prison term for
Salvini for allegedly kidnapping 147 migrants on board the
Spanish NGO Open Arms ship when he stopped them from landing at
Lampedusa between August 14-20, 2019.
The 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.
"The League's demonstration will reiterate that the defence of
Italy is not a crime, without irresponsibly stirring up the
public against the judiciary and the State, as others have done
in the past," the party said in a statement.
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