A Ukrainian woman was raped on Piacenza street by a man from Guinea. Having shared footage of the attack on Twitter, Meloni was criticised for using the rape video for political means.
Giorgia Meloni, leader of Italy’s far-right Fratelli d’Italia party, has faced harsh criticism for sharing video footage of a woman being raped on a street in the Italian city of Piacenza.
The sexual assault occurred early on Sunday morning. A 55-year-old Ukrainian woman was raped on a pavement by a 27-year-old asylum seeker. He has subsequently been arrested.
The rape was widely condemned including by Piacenza mayor Katia Tarasconi who said it was “chilling that a woman on her own was attacked by a cowardly criminal”. She added, however, that she hoped the nationality of the offender would “not be exploited”.
Meloni criticised for rape footage Tweet
Footage of the rape, published by Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, was used in a tweet on Sunday night by Meloni.
“One cannot remain silent in the face of this atrocious episode of sexual violence against a Ukrainian woman carried out during the day in Piacenza by an asylum seeker. A hug to this woman. I will do everything I can to restore security in or cites.”
Criticism came in from all quarters of the public for Meloni’s tweet, not just the politicians.
Enrico Letta, leader of the centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) said it was “indecent” to publish images of a rape. He went on to say it is “even more indecent to do so for electoral purposes. Respect for people and for victims always comes first.”
Carlo Calenda, leader of the centrist Azione party, wrote on Twitter: “Reporting a rape is a duty. Showing it for election purposes is above all an immoral and disrespectful act for the woman who suffered it, who certainly would not want to be exposed on social media in this way. Shame on you, Giorgia Meloni.”