As Northern League leader Leandro Comacchio stands outside supermarkets in Padua collecting signatures for a referendum to stop the construction of a local mosque, Muslims in the area are feeling increasingly concerned about discrimination being masked as concerned residents. Comacchio says that his actions are not aimed at Muslims, but rather, as a protest against the permissive center-left council, which he alleges is giving away land for a planned mosque. Fearful of increasing tensions, local Moroccan student Maher Selmi said: we don’t want confrontation. We want dialogue with all parties to find common ground. The mosque is planned to close by next month, or the owner will reclaim the site.

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