Catholic World News News Feature

Controversial Italian politician rallies opposition to mosque construction September 14, 2007

A controversial Italian political leader, Roberto Calderoli of the Northern League party, has proposed a "Pig Day" to protest the construction of a mosque in Bologna, the ANSA news agency reports.

Calderoli said that he would walk around the proposed construction site with a pig, "after which it will be considered infected and no longer suitable" as the location for Islamic worship. "I place myself and my pig at the disposal of those who are against this mosque," he said.

Calderoli said that he had used the same tactic in opposition to the building of a mosque in another northern Italian city, Lodi. He proposed organizing a "Pig Day" to encourage opposition to places that would be "potential centers for harboring terrorist cells."

Italy’s welfare minister, Paolo Ferrero of the Communist Refoundation Party, condemned Calderoli's comments. "I apologize to Muslims living in Italy on behalf of all civilized Italians," Ferrero said.

In February 2006, Calderoli was forced to resign his post as a government minister after he provoked the wrath of Muslims by appearing on television wearing a T-shirt decorated with the notorious Danish editorial cartoons that mocked the prophet Mohammed and led to violent protests around the world. In his latest jab, the Northern League leader said that he planned to eat pork as the Islamic season of Ramadan began, simply to annoy Muslims.

While Calderoli's public posture has shocked many Italians, a recent survey carried out in 5 major Italian cities-- Milan, Rome, Bologna, Palermo, and Naples-- showed that opposition to Muslim immigration is on the rise. Only 28% of the survey respondents approved of building new mosques, as compared with 49% in 1006 and 61% in 2005. About 30% said that they opposed building mosques because they saw Islam as a dangerous religion, while 24% said mosques foment terrorism.