On Thursday, August 11 at 19:30 GMT:
On July twenty ninth Alika Ogorchukwu – a 39-year-old husband and father – was crushed to demise within the afternoon on the road of a busy seaside city in Italy whereas witnesses and bystanders filmed the assault. A longtime resident of Italy, Ogorchukwu, who was Nigerian and disabled, was attacked by a person along with his personal crutch whereas promoting handkerchiefs and different wares as a supply of earnings.
Anti-racism advocates and consultants have pressured that whereas brutal, the killing of Ogorchukwu just isn’t an remoted incident and as a substitute emblematic of a broader tradition of racism and xenophobia towards folks of color in Italy. A tradition that they are saying has lengthy been ignored and denied.
A assortment of activists have come collectively to sentence the homicide as a violent act of racism and ableism that may be a reflection of a broad number of systemic social failings. However others have contested the suggestion that the assault was racially motivated. Ogorchukwu’s demise has additionally sparked worldwide outrage with requires #JusticeForAlika and renewed conversations about racism in Italy.
These calls come at a time of political pressure because the nation is ready to carry a snap basic election on September twenty fifth with a far-right coalition, whose rhetoric critics say usually trades on inflammatory language primarily based in racism and anti-immigrant sentiments, anticipated to win. Advocates of revisions to the nation’s citizenship legal guidelines have mentioned that amendments at the moment up for debate, if handed, might be one step in direction of making the nation extra inclusive.
On this episode of The Stream, we focus on what it’ll take to realize justice for Alika and whether or not his demise will probably be a turning level for the way Italy tackles racism.
On this episode of The Stream, we’re joined by:
Angelica Pesarini @AngiePesarini
Assistant Professor, College of Toronto
Kwanza Musi Dos Santos @stanzadikwanza
Member, Nationwide Antiracist Coordination
Angelo Boccato @Ang_Bok
Freelance Journalist
