A comparison between Italian
Premier Matteo Renzi and Germanwings crash co-pilot Andrea
Lubitz as both "alone at the commands" made by
anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Beppe Grillo on
his blog was met with widespread criticism on Friday.
"Even the right to freedom of expression must have a limit:
not to cross the boundary of bad taste, not to use tragedies,
pain and collective anguish as material for the dig of the day.
This is what Grillo has done" said Walter Verini, leader on the
House justice committee for Renzi's Democratic Party (PD).
"Only someone mad can attempt to profit from the death of
150 people using it as an excuse to attack Renzi" said Stefano
Pedica of the PD according to whom Grillo should abandon
politics and go back to being a comedian only.
"Comparing the premier to the co-pilot of Germanwings isn't
only a sign of bad taste but it is a grave offense towards the
victims of a tragedy we are still mourning. It's a level of
political confrontation we totally refuse" said Giuseppina
Maturani, PD Senate caucus deputy leader.
"Grillo won't stop joking even if 150 people have died and
he uses this tragedy as an excuse to attack the premier.
Politics has nothing to do with this. This has got to do with
humanity. I have no words to express my disdain towards someone
who trespassed over the boundary of dignity " said another PD
MP, Federico Gelli.
"Beppe Grillo has nothing left to say and he should have
remained silent instead of expressing his nothingness by
comparing Renzi to the airbus co-pilot" said Gianfranco Librandi
of the small centrist Civic Choice party.
"Grillo's words comparing Renzi to the Germanwings co-pilot
are simply horrible and out of place, because they offend the
victims of the accident and their families and because they
encourage the use of violent language within political
discourse" said Senate Deputy Speaker Valeria Fedeli, also of
the PD.
Grillo's words were also widely commented on the M5S blog
with some of his own activists criticising the ex-comedian for
his post.
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