How Italy’s “migrant model town” veered right

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“The model destroyed itself.” Actually reality reared its ugly head. The migrant model town town of Riace avoided reality but could no longer avoid the consequences of avoiding reality. They drank the kool-aid and well, you know what happens next.

Put your Berlitz media translator reading glasses on for this AFP report. If you are unfamiliar with terms, here’s a crash course:

Far-right: anything right of hard-left
Migrant experiment: the hijrah (mass jihad immigration)
Global village: Collectivism, sharia, the death of individual rights
Asian, migrant, immigrant youth, Moroccan, African: Muslim
Multiculturalism: jihad and sharia
Diversity: hijab, niqab, burka
Islamophobia: opposition to jihad terror and sharia oppression.
Tolerance and inclusion: silence in the face of rape jihad and Islamic supremacism, submission
Asylum seekers: invaders

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How Italy’s migrant model town Riace veered far-right

How Italy’s migrant model town Riace veered far-right

Kelly Velasquez, AFP • June 7, 2019:

The colourful welcoming signs for refugees are still up, but the town of Riace has swung far-right, against the migrant experiment it once championed

New mayor Antonio Trifoli, a former policeman, says too many migrants were hosted in Riace and ‘the model destroyed itself’

The inflow of migrants was once seen as a solution to the slow decline of inhabitants in Riace and the surrounding area

Riace (Italy) (AFP) – The sign reading “Riace, land of welcome” still hangs in the small town, but its dream of migrant integration is over after the far-right’s “Italians first” election victory.

The new mayor of the one-time “global village” in southern Italy’s rural Calabria elected on May 26 with the support of Matteo Salvini’s anti-migrant Lega party, Antonio Trifoli, has so far left the sign up.

“We will welcome refugees again,” he told AFP.

“But we can’t have 500 to 600 asylum seekers in a town with 1,500 residents,” said the former town policeman.

Trifoli was first on the independent “Riace reborn” list, backed by the Lega, whose supporters provided many of the 41.8 percent of the 1,103 votes he won.

Until just a few years ago, the Lega was a separatist party at the other end of the country which sneeringly referred to southerners as “bumpkins” or worse.

“The problem is that we had too many migrants and we lost the spirit of openness there was initially,” said Trifoli.

“A whole economic system developed with the migrants, but without making the village dynamic again… The model destroyed itself,” he said.

Former mayor Domenico “Mimmo” Lucano encouraged migrants and refugees to come to the village to counter a gradual decline of inhabitants and workers and show how migrant integration could be done.

But now he is no longer even a member of the town council after his left-backed list lost in the elections, and he has been barred from the town.

Lucano is due in court next week to face charges including that he failed to put to tender a garbage collection contract that went to a migrant-linked cooperative.

German director Wim Wenders made a documentary in 2010 featuring the leftist mayor and Riace’s refugees, but Lucano was last year placed under house arrest for allegedly setting up fake marriages to help foreign women stay in the country after their asylum applications were rejected.

The debacle came after a populist coalition formed by Salvini, the country’s hardline anti-immigrant deputy prime minister who also holds the interior ministry portfolio, and Luigi Di Maio’s anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) formed a government in June last year.

The shops and workshops previously occupied by migrants are now shuttered.

The village’s historic streets are largely deserted, with funereal music occasionally punctuating the silence.

Colourful, multi-ethnic murals can still be seen on walls, testimony to the experiment that took place here and the hopes for migrant integration it spawned in Italy and beyond, before it failed amid alienated locals and allegations of fraud.

– ‘Order and discipline’ –

“Here, we need order and discipline,” said agricultural engineer Claudio Falchi, a Milan native who moved here 25 years ago.

Three years ago he became Lega leader in Riace.

“They were fighting among themselves, they didn’t want the crucifix, or the creche,” Falchi said of the migrants.

“It’s not racism, it’s just that this is our home. We welcome them and then they make problems.”

Locals are reluctant to talk about the past or discuss the predicament of the village, which, like so many in Calabria is seeing its youth leave in search of work as the elderly slowly die off.

“People wanted things to change. After 15 years of talking only about welcoming and refugees, they got tired,” said mayor Trifoli.

“Taking in refugees gave Riace prestige around the world but its inhabitants lost interest.”

Over the years the town took in around 6,000 migrants, opened shops and workshops and even launched its own currency stamped with the heads of Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther King.

But that model of tolerance and inclusion has disappeared.

“Almost everyone has gone. There aren’t even any more children,” said Daniel, a 37-year-old Ghanaian, in perfect Italian.

The Lega was the big winner in last month’s European parliamentary elections, taking more than 34 percent of national votes.

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livingengine
livingengine
4 years ago

New mayor Antonio Trifoli, a former policeman, says too many migrants were hosted in Riace and ‘the model destroyed itself’. The town destroyed itself, not the migrants.

felix1999
felix1999
4 years ago
Reply to  livingengine

ONE Muslim is too many.

Rick James
Rick James
4 years ago
Reply to  felix1999

Amen

Rick James
Rick James
4 years ago

Nice to see the Lefty kumbaya bubble bursting and the brutal reality of Islamic thuggery, rape and terrorism setting in.

I call it sweet justice. Too bad Merkel and her cronies couldn’t get a taste of it as well, a lesson they richly deserve.

Hopefully this will lead to more right-wing parties dominating elections and then eventually leading to the expulsion of all the fake refugees/migrants, which is about 99% of them.

That’ll be a start, the job will only be done when most if not all Muslims are sent back also.

Suresh
Suresh
4 years ago
Reply to  Rick James

comment image

And the Leftist Poope shills for bringing in more illegals/ christian killing jihadis into christian lands http://tinyurl.com/popeofwolves

Criticises Trump for building a Wall

while he lives behind secure 40 ft walls and 24 hour security !

MISS VEGAS
MISS VEGAS
4 years ago

Italy needs to offer to pay Italians to repopulate. Only the real Italian natives!
Pay them to have lots of children & give them special benefits too.

But first you need to deport ALL Migrants out of Italy & out of Europe!

John Acord
John Acord
4 years ago
Reply to  MISS VEGAS

Both Hungary and Poland have solved the problem of declining birth rates by giving tax exemptions. In Hungary, a woman who gives birth to four children is exempt from taxes for life! In Poland it’s the same. Neither nation accepts Muslim immigrants. Lithuania has basically banned Islam. Putin has instituted a similar program in Russia

MuhamMUDTheFakeProphet
MuhamMUDTheFakeProphet
4 years ago
Reply to  John Acord

One of my friends mentioned that Hungary is the only country in all of Europe that has an increasing Jewish population.

John Acord
John Acord
4 years ago

Certainly, Orban has made Hungary safe for Jews and has warm relations with Israel. I Suspect that Hungary may be a magnet for European Jewry reluctant to move to Israel. Budapest is a beautiful city full of happy, friendly , hard working people and excellent food. It is also not far from Vienna and Prague.

MuhamMUDTheFakeProphet
MuhamMUDTheFakeProphet
4 years ago
Reply to  John Acord

I’d hope it’s far enough from Vienna to keep the muslum vermin out.

Arthur Kingmarlin
Arthur Kingmarlin
4 years ago

So “RIACE” Relations broke down?????

Poppey
Poppey
4 years ago

I wonder if the enrichers enjoyed watching this, you tube 2cellos arena di Verona 2016.

{those two guys could have any women they wanted in that audience}.

Arthur Kingmarlin
Arthur Kingmarlin
4 years ago

The people don’t seem to WANT enforced diversity!
They don’t WANT multiculturalism, it’s clearly shown in every poll taken on the subject, they never asked for this “STRENGTH” the politicians keep banging on about.
What they actually want is NO MORE MUSLIMS,
it’s a clear majority every time they are asked about EITHER Sub-Saharan African Immigrants or ISLAMIC immigrants- NO !!
Now put those two together Somali Muslims….and you might as well offer Italians a Turd and Toe-nails Pizza….they DON’T WANT ANY!

MuhamMUDTheFakeProphet
MuhamMUDTheFakeProphet
4 years ago

‘“Almost everyone has gone. There aren’t even any more children,” said Daniel, a 37-year-old Ghanaian, in perfect Italian.’
A perfect example of ethnic cleansing in action.

1PierreMontagne1
1PierreMontagne1
4 years ago

It’s not ethnic cleansing – they went to Canada and Canada gives the migrants more money than does the EU. If you were a dead beat migrant who doesn’t want to work – wouldn’t you got to Canada for more welfare money?
IN Canada once you learn the language your welfare is cut off and you have to get a job So guess what? The Migrants in Canada are refusing to learn English or French.

leonore35
leonore35
4 years ago

The migrants do not want integration they only want subjugation

leonore35
leonore35
4 years ago

The migrants do not want integration they only want subjugation

John Acord
John Acord
4 years ago

Appears to me the residents of Riace and Calabria have a lot more common sense than Californians or New Yorkers who double down on Leftie policies. Salvini is rapidly emerging as the savior of Italy and Europe.

Patriotliz
Patriotliz
4 years ago

“It’s not racism, it’s just that this is our home. We welcome them and then they make problems.”
DUH! No kidding!
That’s the point of Islamic migrant invasion you idiots!
It’s not rocket science.
comment image

0349 JAT
0349 JAT
4 years ago
Reply to  Patriotliz

Where islam has touched the earth….
Death, destruction, chaos, fear and misery have followed.

Patriotliz
Patriotliz
4 years ago
Reply to  0349 JAT

In other words…. “Wherever Muslims migrate en masse, Hell follows.”
Resistance is futile.
comment image

Bill
Bill
4 years ago
Reply to  Patriotliz

The Borg. Assimilate or die.

Roma Mikhasev
Roma Mikhasev
4 years ago

Immediately liquidation of the all leftist governments, mayors & others traitors & betrayers – enemies of the europeans. Stop degradation!

Roma Mikhasev
Roma Mikhasev
4 years ago

Immediately liquidation of the all leftist governments, mayors & others traitors & betrayers – enemies of the europeans. Stop degradation!

Roma Mikhasev
Roma Mikhasev
4 years ago

Immediately liquidation of the all leftist governments, mayors & others traitors & betrayers – enemies of the europeans.

Stephen Honig
Stephen Honig
4 years ago

Italy has one of the lowest birth rates in the world, which means that the Muslims be taken over first in Europe.

Al Lauder
Al Lauder
4 years ago
Reply to  Stephen Honig

Yep, and most of the rest of southern Europe will likely follow and for the very same reason. So stupid.

scherado
scherado
4 years ago

… the other end of the country which sneeringly referred to southerners as “bumpkins” or worse.

My father used to call my mother a “real calabraise. (Kal-uh-brace) Her grandparents were from Calabria, southern Italy.

1PierreMontagne1
1PierreMontagne1
4 years ago

Apparetntly the Migrants Europeans dont want are being sent to Canada. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said Canada would take them all back in 2017.

Trudeau is of the same ilk as the former Mayor of Riace and gives Muslims more rights than Canada’s citizens have

1PierreMontagne1
1PierreMontagne1
4 years ago

Apparetntly the Migrants Europeans dont want are being sent to Canada. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said Canada would take them all back in 2017.

Trudeau is of the same ilk as the former Mayor of Riace and gives Muslims more rights than Canada’s citizens have

1PierreMontagne1
1PierreMontagne1
4 years ago

Apparetntly the Migrants Europeans dont want are being sent to Canada. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said Canada would take them all back in 2017.

Trudeau is of the same ilk as the former Mayor of Riace and gives Muslims more rights than Canada’s citizens have

R. Arandas
R. Arandas
4 years ago

I hope that Italy does not fall to darkness!

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