First in France, now immigrant riots are raging in Italy

Fears are mounting in Italy that immigrants from North Africa are determined to ape the riots their brothers perpetrated throughout France five years ago. Because for the second time in as many months, disillusioned, disaffected, and delinquent youths rampaged through Milan last weekend, destroying shops and burning cars to vent long-simmering grievances over chronic unemployment, racial and religious discrimination, and police brutality.

Reports are that these are the worst racial unrest in Italy since World War II. But I predicted it would be thus:

The riots in France should serve notice on other developed nations that have relegated immigrants to ghettos where crime and every order of vice pervade (and, incidentally, where Islamic jihadists troll for guerilla fighters and suicide bombers). Because these riots demonstrate what little spark it takes for the simmering resentment that burns in ghettos to set nearby cities ablaze and terrorize an entire country.

Alas, there but for the grace of God…

[World beware, French riots affect us all, TIJ, November 8, 2005]

Instead of dealing with the root causes of these riots – as the French did by implementing government programs to assimilate their alienated young Africans, the Italians have decided to corral them in internment camps for repatriation.  In fact, Italian lawmakers prepared for these riots years ago by enacting the most draconian immigration laws in Europe:

Italy has an immigration policy that aims at mass expulsion of illegal immigrants – especially the unemployed. Indeed, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi even proposed an immigration bill that would authorize border patrol to open fire on boats carrying would-be illegal immigrants

[The plague of Haitian immigrants…, TIJ, March 31, 2005]

I fear, however, that this approach will only add fuel to the fires of gang warfare that characterize life in its immigrant communities as well as to clashes with local white hooligans.  Add to this tinderbox the corrupting and violent machinations of Italy’s notorious Mafia and you see what a simmering social volcano these riots represent.

But that’s Italian….

NOTE:  It might interest you to know that, according to The New York Times:

There are 4 million legal immigrants in Italy, out of a population of 60 million, and even more illegal immigrants. And while many Italians rely on them to work in their businesses and take care of their young children or elderly parents, many Italians see the new arrivals as a threat.

Related commentaries:
World beware, French riots…
The plague of Haitian immigrants…