Posted on August 14, 2019

Italy’s Salvini Tells Richard Gere to Take Stranded Migrants to Hollywood on His Jet

Alessandro Speciale and Jeannette Neumann, Bloomberg, August 10, 2019

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini suggested Richard Gere fly 160 migrants stranded off the Italian coast back to Hollywood on his “private jet” after the actor made a plea to European leaders to find a port for the ship.

Gere joined representatives from the non-governmental organization Open Arms at a press conference on the Italian island of Lampedusa to appeal to take in the ship. {snip}

“As the generous millionaire airs his demands about the fate of the Open Arms immigrants, we thank him: he will be able to bring everyone in his private jet to Hollywood and keep them in his villas,” Salvini said in a statement after Gere’s press conference.

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Safe Harbor

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Gere, 69, who went aboard the Open Arms vessel on Friday to deliver food and water, sat nearby and also called on European leaders to find a solution. The star of “American Gigolo” and “Pretty Woman” has a long history of social activism.

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Spain’s Refusal

Salvini has dubbed the request to disembark a “provocation” that disregards the lives of the migrants and called on Spain, the country where the boat is registered, to take them in. Spanish authorities have refused, insisting it must disembark at the nearest port.

The Italian interior minister has also threatened to seize the ship, using newly acquired powers granted him by parliament just days before he pulled the plug on the shaky coalition with a populist ally and sought to force new elections.

Responding to Gere’s comments, Salvini said, “surely, he is impressed by the decisions that have been taken to bolster police and counter smugglers and criminals. Italy had been waiting for those measures for years.”

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