An MP from the anti-immigrant
Northern League was expelled from the Lower House for waving a
fresh fish around during debate on immigration reform.
Gianluca Buonanno produced the fish, a sea bass, to protest
decriminalizing undocumented immigration.
His party co-sponsored the law making illegal immigration a
crime during the previous administration of ex-premier Silvio
Berlusconi.
"When I heard the debate I thought it was an April Fool's
prank, but no. Let's give the sea bass to our poor, our
pensioners," he said.
He was called to order and ultimately expelled by Deputy
House Speaker Luigi Di Maio, who is from the anti-establishment
5-Star Movement.
In Italy, France, Belgium, and French-speaking areas of
Switzerland and Canada, the April 1 tradition is often known as
"April fish".
Pranks include trying to attach a paper fish to the
victim's back without being noticed.
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