Piazza Oriana Fallaci al posto della moschea (Oriana Fallaci Plaza replaces mosque in Italy)

La Republica (Italy) ^ | may 18, 2008 | Repubblica

[PapaBear3625]

[translation thanks to Gates of Vienna]

Oriana Fallaci Square in place of the mosque

VERONA — Goodbye mosque. In its place, Oriana Fallaci Square.

This decision was taken by the committee of Oppeano (Verona, Italy), where yesterday morning a building used by Muslims for prayer was bulldozed. In its place, the Municipality will create a public square named after the writer of The Rage and the Pride, which promoted a bitter campaign against Islam.

The decision to raze the structure which had been opened by ONLUS [translator’s note: Organizzazione Non Lucrativa di Utilita’ Sociale, a non-profit registered Italian charity] “For the success of Muslims”, was taken by the municipal administration, which acquired the area for €70,000 in order to transform it into an open area for parking and green space.

“My citizens did not want this takeover,” explained the mayor, Alessandro Montagnoli, deputy of the Lega Nord, “above all because it could create problems of practicability and cohabitation with the residents.”

[mtntop3]

Was the destroyed building only a mosque in the sense that it was a regular building which had been utilized as a mosque?

It is very difficult to imagine a regular, domed mosque being demolished in Europe for, especially, Oriana Fallaci Plaza.

It would be well to learn where the former mosque attendees went to, and something about the presumed other mosques in that city.

[PapaBear3625]

I think it was more "a building used by Muslims for prayer" rather than a custom-built mosque. I'm thinking the Muslims probably rented some building and were using it as a prayer hall, and the city decided to condemn it for a park

If I get any more info on the story, I'll post it.

[fishhound]

I waited a couple days haven’t seen the rage boys out yet.

Probably the kind of pummeling that they do understand.

I am hoping Italy is not just grandstanding.