A racist comment directed at Italy’s first black cabinet minister has been roundly condemned in Italy and abroad.
Italian Senate Vice President Roberto Calderoli said that photographs of Minister Cecile Kyenge, who immigrated to Italy from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1983, made him think that she had the “the features of an orangutan”.
Since that comment, he has issued an official apology, saying that he meant no offence.
An Irish woman who lived in Italy for over five years and has just returned from a two-week visit to the country, said she is saddened but not shocked by the remarks.
“There shouldn’t be any kind of comments made like that in this day and age, but you still see it happening, not only in Italy but all around the world,” said Victoria Massey.
“[Kyenge] is someone married to an Italian, she’s got children, she’s been there for three decades. For people not to respect her, with her qualifications and time and position in the government, it’s ridiculous for people to make those types of comments.”
Marco Giannantonio, an Italian businessman, who has been living in Dublin for nine years, said he was also ashamed to hear about the incident that occurred in his home country.
“This kind of thing is the worst shame that I can see as an Italian living abroad,” he told Metro Éireann, adding that while he is upset about what happened, he doesn’t think Calderoli is the only racist in the Italian government.
Giannantonio added that while he doesn’t believe Italy is a racist place, he pointed to Calderoni’s home region of the north as a place where racism is more prevalent.
However, Massey feels racism in the country she called home for half a decade extended past the northern part of the country.
“I found [immigrants] were looked at and spoken to in a dismissive way,” she said. “It bothered me because [Italians] are normally very warm people.
“This was one aspect that I did notice over there, it is a problem in Italy. But Italians are not bad people, it is just one of their flaws.”
Massey said she feels that Ireland and other countries new to immigration share some of the same flaws.
“I think Ireland has a similar thing going on, especially compared to countries that are used to immigration, like England,” she said. “It takes people a while to get used to but I think that once people become personal friends, they would never make a comment like that.”
