Chronicles of ordinary racism 2011 - Cronache di ordinario razzismo

The A3F association, based in Sant’Antimo, reports seven attacks carried out in just ten
days against foreign nationals who own their own businesses. They all take place
between Porta Nolana, Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza Mercato and all of them present
similar features: a raid on the shops. One of the first victims, a Pakistani man, risked his
life when the attackers hit him very close to his aorta. Niam, a man from Bangladesh,
the victim of violence and material damages, did not report the incident because he was
afraid. “Ethnic shops are the only ones who do not pay protection money around here,”
A3F states, “and this might well be one of the reasons behind the mysterious attacks.
Even though we are more inclined to believe that these incidents stem from a climate of
widespread racism.”
Source: La Repubblica
8 July 2010 Brescia (BS), Lombardy
The local bus company installs disposable latex glove dispensers on the number 3
“Badia‐Rezzato” buses, used by several foreign passengers, with the stated objective of
avoiding the spread of diseases. The foreign nationals feel humiliated: “If there are
hygiene issues,” Mohammed, from Tunisia, remarks “why did they only install them on
the line most used by us immigrants Some people in Brescia are already calling them
‘anti‐nigger gloves’. This city seems to derive some sort of sadistic enjoyment from
humiliating us: no day passes when we are not at the receiving end of some kind of
insult.” The Cgil union tends to agree: “if there is a serious health threat, why not
extend the initiative to the other bus lines and to local trains”
Source: La Repubblica
12 July 2010 Naples (NA), Campania
An Italian boy beats up an Indian one: four local policemen in civilian clothing arrive on
the scene. Without even attempting to ascertain what has occurred from onlookers, they
grab the Indian and try to drag him into their car. One of the policemen produces a
leather belt, which he wraps around the boy’s throat, pulling him towards the car. The
young Indian manages to escape with the help of bystanders who object to the
policemen’s behaviour.
Source: napoli.indymedia.org
29 July 2010 Rome (RM), Lazio
How to manipulate information. The Tg1 news programme broadcasts a story about a
family carer who knocks around the elderly woman she looks after, but omits one small
piece of information: the carer is Italian. The news story is followed by an interview
with a foreign representative of the same profession: many members of carers’
associations are, in fact, foreigners, due to the high rate of immigrant workers in this
sector. The entire coverage leads us to presume that the perpetrator of the offence is
foreign.
Source: Il Manifesto
3 August 2010 Padua (PD), Veneto
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