16 organizations belonging to the project Voci di Confine in Italia (Voices from the Border in Italy) have sounded the alarm concerning the spread of racism in the country following the attack against foreigners in Macerata on February 3.
The attempted massacre in Macerata on February 3 "calls for a deep reflection on the dangerous dissemination of the phenomenon of racism" in the country, the 16 organizations and local institutions belonging to the project Voci di Confine in Italia have said.
The project was launched in 2017 to give voice to those who do not feel represented by closed borders and consider migrant reception and integration to be an opportunity for enrichment and development.
7 cases of discrimination a day in Italy
The organisations explain that in theory, Italy has a "legal system that is well equipped to deal with racism and discrimination", but that "official figures show that cases of racism are the order of the day". In 2016, the Italian Office against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) opened 2,939 files following reported cases of discrimination, of which 2,652 were pertinent (on average over 7 per day). Of these cases, 69 percent involve discrimination on ethnic-racial grounds.
A report by the parliamentary investigation committee into hate, intolerance, xenophobia and racism shows the existence of a 'pyramid of hate' based on stereotypes, false representations, insults, the 'normalization' of hostile language and, on a higher level, discrimination and hate language and crime, the project adds.
Normalising the narrative on foreigners
"Harnessing the stereotype that immigrants are the root of all problems or associating immigration and security are turning out to be very dangerous trends," said Renata Torrente of medical relief agency AMREF, which heads the project. "The narrative about foreigners present in Italy needs to be normalized on the basis of real data and by way of proper information," she added. The recent events in Macerata "are an alarm bell that must not be underestimated," continued Simone Bucchi of CSV Marche. Redani said the attack was "an act of huge seriousness" confirming "the cultural regression underway in the country".