In August 2019, with his campaign against migrant settlements in full swing, Matteo Salvini addressed one of his rabid crowds during Lega Nord’s annual festivities. “The media’s problem is not really the machinery demolishing the f*cking gypsy’s house but their home affairs minister!”
Three years later, Salvini’s attacks on Roma people are but a memory. The PR cow ran out of milk soon, although it was part of a series of gimmicks that further consolidated the racist, right-wing narrative dominating Italy. They were also rather convenient: his party was embroiled in corruption scandals of its own, amid scantily rebutted accusations of illicit financing from Russia.
Today, he’s part of the triumvirate governing Italy but the polls have delivered their own demolition of Milan’s erstwhile playground bully, who lost a substantial chunk of his voting base to Giorgia Meloni and the visibly ailing Silvio Berlusconi; he has been handed infrastructure, missing out on a role as glorified salesman of cheeses and hams carrying the Made in Italy trademark.
There are parallels to be drawn with our own home affairs minister, who, fresh from his wedding and honeymoon, anticipated the reopening of parliament with a series of arrests and deportations, the most ‘spectacular’ of which involved heavy machinery tearing down the entrance of the Tiger Bar, in Marsa, a meeting place for many African migrants.
The police would also harass people whose residence in Malta is regularly documented, leaving entire families with a broken door and no safety or privacy: a classic reminder of how tough the Old Bill can be with the weak.
The Tiger Bar is not a hotbed of subversive criminal activity that presents an immediate danger to the entire Maltese society, unlike a particular potato shed located a stone’s throw away. But knocking down doors in Marsa is easy work for the police and their minister in a climate which is openly hostile to people who are different than ‘us’.
Byron Camilleri pounced on the opportunity to wear a high-visibility vest and gloat about his achievements on Facebook, in textbook Salvini fashion; his assist came from an unlikely pair, Nationalist MPs Joe Giglio and Alex Borg, who called for mass deportations after a brawl in Ħamrun. But while the Immigration Act protects people from irregular deportations to dangerous countries – Giglio should know ignorance of the law is not an excuse – Camilleri was busy taking notes and drawing lines.
The scale replica of Tonio Borg now has substantial egg to wipe off his face. Camilleri took to the cameras to say that the story of three police officers accused of beating up migrants is “disgusting, disappointing and infuriating” but did so in the midst of his demolish-and-deport campaign, which has now reached St Paul’s Bay.
But the minister’s wedged in a tight spot. Even if we ignore the systemic reasons leading to these attacks and decide to go straight for the blame game, Camilleri has to carry the responsibility not only for the officers’ misdeeds but also for the odious and openly dishonest narrative he has spread with greater vigour after last summer. He cannot be a credible critic of acts of criminal violence by the police when he’s the one ordering the choreographed persecution of a nameless and defenceless ‘enemy’.
The Tiger Bar, in Marsa is not a hotbed of subversive criminal activity which presents a danger to Maltese society- Wayne Flask
For all his sudden popularity on two-bit news portals, things under Camilleri have gotten significantly worse. It’s an advantage for him to be part of a government whose philosophy is to hide information and plough ahead with intent, irrespective of the consequences. It’s an attitude we’ve seen in various spheres: from construction to tourism, from roadbuilding to hospitals.
But home affairs isn’t the realm of hotel stays, award nights or trips to Brazil. The result of leaving such a large and important ministry in hands that are definitely greedier than capable is worrying indeed.
Late last year, after the 14th death in Corradino, Camilleri sent the disgraced Alex Dalli to “coordinate migrant efforts in Libya”, replacing him with former Red Cross director Robert Brincau. The latter has now been filmed appearing to be threatening a ‘rival’ voluntary ambulance driver.
But now that the accusations seem to be backed by evidence in court, Camilleri has chosen to defend his gun-toting director instead of suspending him.
His staff strenuously denied the minister’s involvement in the irregular appointment of one of the three officers accused of beating up migrants and, despite the facts, we’re supposed to believe there’s no nepotism or corruption – moral, especially – among the force.
A couple of weeks ago, Camilleri and Angelo Gafà were photographed grinning widely at a press conference in which the minister announced a campaign to fight racism by spreading information about Malta’s “just” migration policy: one made of illegal detention and a lifetime of guaranteed exploitation, marginalisation and ghettoisation; the dark side to Visit Malta.
They were probably laughing at the ease with which they can peddle this kind of hypocrisy, knowing full well that their actions amount to state-sponsored xenophobia.
Gafà, in particular, has little to smile about. Complaints about an understaffed, demoralised cohort are now beefed up by serious accusations of racism and there seems to be little interest in arresting white collar criminals: money launderers, fugitives on their yachts, CEOs and public servants accused of corruption, to mention but a few.
It is equally worrying that a young minister with a lot of power is being allowed to build his campaign by painting migrants in a corner, before humiliating them out of it; the OPM is unlikely to crack its worn-out whip onto Camilleri, whose office is responsible for the equality portfolio as well.
The rights of migrants are under the purview of the same minister who is using the police to rob them of their dignity.
During his long media circus, the Italian home affairs minister did demolish the villa of a known mafia family in Rome (ignoring fourscore others).
Camilleri, however, has built his own house of cards by trampling on human rights, months ahead of the inevitable reshuffle.
It’s what little men wearing oversized boots do.