September 24, 2010
The president of UCOII (Union of Italian Islamic Communities) has written a letter to the President of the Republic denouncing what he considers a serious act of discrimination towards Muslim students in the Brescia area, where the village mayor refuses to accommodate the students’ dietary needs. Currently; the school only serves traditional meals unless a certified medical necessity to avoid pork is proven by the students. The president of the UCOII is requesting of the Republic’s President to: make an official intervention and preserve the basic rights of the Muslims students rights to practice their Islamic beliefs.
A top representative of the Northern League reacted by charging the UCOII of being a fundamentalist organization in the Northern region of Italy. The representative has suggested that the members of UCOII should relocate to other parts of the country. However, the director of the school complex is attempting to subdue the debate by urging mediation and compromise which would exempt Muslim students from having to eat pork.
