Italy calls Council of Europe 'shameful' after warning on police racism
Police patrols outside the press centre facilities, ahead of the G7 summit of world leaders in the city of Bari, Italy, June 12, 2024. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki/ File Photo
ROME - Italy lashed out at the Council of Europe on Thursday and defended its police after the European human rights body named Italy among countries where racist conduct among law enforcers was a problem.
In presenting its 2025 annual report on Wednesday, the head of the Council's Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) urged Italy to launch an independent enquiry into evidence that its police disproportionately targeted immigrants.
Bertil Cottier said so-called "racial profiling", by which the police stop people on the basis of their skin colour or presumed nationality or religion, appeared to be an issue in Italy and called on the government to look into it.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her deputy Matteo Salvini, who both lead far-right parties that base their appeal on law-and-order and the fight against illegal immigration, bluntly dismissed the suggestion.
"ECRI's words, accusing the Italian police of racism, are simply shameful," Brothers of Italy chief Meloni posted on social media platform X on Wednesday.
League leader Salvini doubled down on Thursday, telling reporters in Rome that the anti-racism panel "should be ashamed," and calling it "another useless body paid for by Italian and European citizens, that produces rubbish in return."
The head of state Sergio Mattarella summoned Italy's police chief for a meeting on Thursday, "to re-confirm the admiration and trust of the country in its law enforcers."
The Council of Europe did not respond to a request for comment.
The Strasbourg-based organisation, which has 46 member states, was founded in 1949 to promote democracy and human rights in the continent.
The latest ECRI report was an overview of its activities in 2024 and did not specifically discuss the Italian situation.
However, in ECRI's latest country-specific report in October, it flagged "numerous accounts of racial profiling by law enforcement officials, targeting especially Roma and people of African descent" in Italy. REUTERS
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