Posted on 08/13/2019 5:57:03 AM PDT by Kaslin
Italy’s Interior Minister had the perfect response to actor Richard Gere, who inserted himself into the country’s immigration issues when he urged the government to help African migrants who’ve been stranded on a Spanish charity boat for more than a week.
"Given this generous millionaire is voicing concern for the fate of the Open Arms migrants, we thank him: he can take back to Hollywood, on his private plane, all the people aboard and support them in his villas,” Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said in a statement, according to Reuters. “Thank you Richard!"
Gere, who has a net worth of $120 million dollars, visited the boat on Friday, asking that the Italian government stop “demonizing people” and let the 160 migrants on board disembark.
The boat was at sea near Lampedusa with 121 people aboard from earlier rescues when, late on Friday evening, Maltese authorities asked it to assist 39 people in a wooden raft.
Malta had offered to accept the 39 people from this rescue but not the 121 already aboard, among them 32 minors, they added, saying the NGO had refused the offer.
"[Malta] has refused to disembark the other 121 people who have been aboard for 9 days. This has created a serious security problem aboard. Their levels of anxiety are unsustainable," Open Arms founder Oscar Camps said on Twitter.
The boat has been in limbo since Malta and Italy rejected requests to disembark there. Spain's Socialist government accepted the Acquarius NGO boat last year following a similar standoff but has since hardened its position, saying that the Open Arms should look for a closer port.
This week the European Union's executive called on member states to show solidarity and find a solution for the boat. (Reuters)
"We have our problems with refugees coming from Honduras, Salavador, Nicaragua, Mexico,” he said during a news conference on the Italian island of Lampedusa, comparing the situation to the immigration crisis back in the U.S. “It's very similar to what you are going through here.”
He continued: "This has to stop everywhere on this planet now. And it will stop if we say stop.”
Italian government officials, including Salvini, have refused to allow ships carrying migrants to dock.
Visto che i suoi amici della ONG hanno 180 immigrati a bordo, sono sicuro che il generoso milionario li ospiterà tutti nelle sue ville. Sbaglio??? pic.twitter.com/mB3SIfSK7D— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) August 10, 2019
Richard Gere sulla Open Arms? Spero che si abbronzi e che si trovi bene...
Visto che la nave è una Ong che batte bandiera spagnola possono far sbarcare i 120 immigrati a Ibiza o Formentera, sbaglio?https://t.co/rPx3S61PVT— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) August 9, 2019
Il ricco attore viene in Italia a fare il fenomeno buonista in barca con le Ong, ho l’impressione che in America non sarebbero così tolleranti ??https://t.co/tGG3qp2Mi2— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) August 12, 2019
Visto che i suoi amici della ONG hanno 180 immigrati a bordo, sono sicuro che il generoso milionario li ospiterà tutti nelle sue ville. Sbaglio??? pic.twitter.com/mB3SIfSK7D— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) August 10, 2019
Since his friends from the NGO have 180 immigrants on board, I am sure that the generous millionaire will host them all in his villas. Am I wrong ??? pic.twitter.com/mB3SIfSK7D— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) August 10, 2019
Richard Gere sulla Open Arms? Spero che si abbronzi e che si trovi bene... Visto che la nave è una Ong che batte bandiera spagnola possono far sbarcare i 120 immigrati a Ibiza o Formentera, sbaglio?https://t.co/rPx3S61PVT— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) August 9, 2019
Richard Gere on the Open Arms? I hope he gets a tan and that he feels good ... Since the ship is an NGO that flies the Spanish flag, they can disembark the 120 immigrants in Ibiza or Formentera, are they? Https: //t.co/rPx3S61PVT— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) August 9, 2019
Il ricco attore viene in Italia a fare il fenomeno buonista in barca con le Ong, ho l’impressione che in America non sarebbero così tolleranti ??https://t.co/tGG3qp2Mi2— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) August 12, 2019
Once in Italy, I’m sure they’ll become productive, law abiding Italians - got all that “serious security problem” silliness out of their systems.
This guy is a hero. I hope he arrived in time to save Italy.
Yep, go ahead Richard, DO SOMETHING.
I assume this is Gere speaking tho’ it’s not clear just who it is. If it’s Gere, I’m really surprised that he would speak the words “our problems with refugees” speaking of the U. S. I didn’t think “his kind” considered them a problem for our country but if he does, he needs to SPEAK OUT here. Apparently he believes his words so powerful, he can make the Italian government bow to his wishes, so why not inform the U. S. Congress of the problem and the solution?
“”We have our problems with refugees coming from Honduras, Salavador, Nicaragua, Mexico,” he said during a news conference on the Italian island of Lampedusa, comparing the situation to the immigration crisis back in the U.S. “It’s very similar to what you are going through here.””
For sure.
The Italians shouldn’t let Gere’s plane leave until it is full up with immigrants...
and fly them back to the US??
Yep.
Then let INS unleash hell on Gere for “human trafficking.”
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