- Title: Far-right millennials set out to sea to "defend Europe" from migrants
- Date: 21st July 2017
- Summary: CATANIA, ITALY (JULY 20, 2017) (REUTERS) SPOKESMAN FOR IDENTITARIAN MOVEMENT AUSTRIA, MARTIN SELLNER, WALKING IN PORT (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPOKESMAN FOR IDENTITARIAN MOVEMENT AUSTRIA, MARTIN SELLNER, SAYING: "We will take all necessary precautions to deal with this dangerous situation. But of course we stick to international laws, we don't have any weapons onboard. We will not breach the Libyan waters and I think that most of this conflict between the Libyan coastguard and the NGO's are due to the behaviour of the NGO's luring migrants in the sea and basically creating the atmosphere for these human trafficking rings in Libya that are destabilising the country, financing terrorism and we want to do the opposite. So in fact, we will in a way, help the efforts of the Libyan coastguard to keep their shores secure."
- Embargoed: 4th August 2017 13:41
- Keywords: migrant rescues Mediterranean Sea Identitarian movement far-right millenials humanitarian rescuers migrant crisis
- Location: AT SEA / CATANIA AND ROME, ITALY
- City: AT SEA / CATANIA AND ROME, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0026QNV7T3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A dozen far-right millennials from Europe and North America plan to set sail next week to "defend Europe" from what they call a migrant invasion from Africa.
The supporters of the Identitarian movement, which says it wants to preserve Europe's identity, have rented a ship to take them to international waters off the Libyan coast so they can monitor humanitarian rescuers, who they say collude with people smugglers who cram migrants onto dangerous boats.
The activists will stay at sea about 10 days, but may renew the mission if it is successful, Martin Sellner, an Austrian who is leading the effort, told Reuters at Catania's port.
Charity groups operating rescue ships are concerned that the activists will try to disrupt them and put lives at risk. The mission, which critics call a publicity stunt, is the latest in a series of accusations and media attacks against the non-governmental rescuers.
Emma Bonino, a former foreign minister who is calling on Italy's government to come up with better integration policies, said the Identitarians are trying to capitalise on increasing discomfort among Italians. She said the Italian people would like to like see the migrant crisis managed in a "more human and regular way".
So far this year sea migrant arrivals are approaching 100,000, 13 percent higher than last year, and some 200,000 asylum seekers are living in state-funded shelters. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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