Lampedusa, Italy - Hollywood star Richard
Gere on Saturday called on the Italian government to stop
"demonising people" and instead help migrants who have been
stranded on a Spanish charity boat in the Mediterranean for more
than a week.
Gere, who visited the Open Arms ship in a show of support on
Friday, joined a news conference in the Italian island of
Lampedusa to call for the 160 migrants stuck on the boat to be
allowed to disembark.
He compared the political situation in Italy, where League
leader and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has repeatedly
refused requests by migrant ships to dock, to that of the U.S.
administration of Donald Trump.
"We have our problems with refugees coming from Honduras,
Salavador, Nicaragua, Mexico... It's very similar to what you
are going through here," he said, accusing politicians in both
Italy and the United States of demonising migrants.
Actor Richard Gere gestures as he speaks during a press conference he held along with Open Arms founder Oscar Camps, on the island of Lampedusa, southern Italy. Picture: Valerio Nicolosi/AP
"This has to stop everywhere on this planet now. And it will
stop if we say stop."
Standoffs with non-governmental organisation (NGO) boats
have become common in the last year as European member states at
odds over who should be responsible for accepting migrants have
refused port to vessels carrying rescued people, often leaving
them stranded at sea for days in worsening conditions awaiting a
solution.
Migrants are seen aboard the Open Arms Spanish humanitarian boat as it cruises in the Mediterranean Sea. Picture: Valerio Nicolosi/AP
The Open Arms said it had rescued more people on Saturday.
The boat was at sea near Lampedusa with 121 people aboard
from earlier rescues when, late on Friday evening, Maltese
authorities asked it to assist 39 people in a wooden raft, the
organisation said.
Actor Richard Gere, left, talks with migrants aboard the Open Arms Spanish humanitarian boat as it cruises in the Mediterranean Sea. Picture: AP
Malta had offered to accept the 39 people from this rescue
but not the 121 already aboard, among them 32 minors, they
added, saying the NGO had refused the offer.
" has refused to disembark the other 121 people who
have been aboard for 9 days. This has created a serious security
problem aboard. Their levels of anxiety are unsustainable," Open
Arms founder Oscar Camps said on Twitter.
Actor Richard Gere, right, helps serving meals to migrants aboard the Open Arms Spanish humanitarian boat as it cruises in the Mediterranean Sea. Picture: Francisco Gentico/AP
The boat has been in limbo since Malta and Italy rejected
requests to disembark there. Spain's caretaker Socialist
government accepted the Aquarius NGO boat last year following a
similar standoff but has since hardened its position, saying
last week that the Open Arms should look for a closer port.
This week the European Union's executive called on member
states to show solidarity and find a solution for the boat.
Actor Richard Gere, right, talks with migrants aboard the Open Arms Spanish humanitarian boat as it cruises in the Mediterranean Sea. Picture: Valerio Nicolosi/AP