Homophobic threats at Bocconi University: Carfagna calls them "unacceptable."“

by TIZIANA DE GIORGIO
«"An unacceptable episode, which demonstrates once again that no place is truly immune from intolerance." Regarding the case of the gay student attacked at Bocconi, Minister for Equal Opportunities Mara Carfagna has spoken out. She strongly condemned Thursday's homophobic incident at the university on Via Sarfatti, adding her appreciation for the "resoluteness" shown by university leaders. The day after Roberto S. was threatened and verbally assaulted—he was shouted "homosexual, faggot, and queer" simply for trying to stop another economics student from tearing down a poster for the Day Against Homophobia—Rector Guido Tabellini sent a letter to all Bocconi students, including professors, distancing himself from the attack and condemning the incident. In the document, the rector also spoke of the need to reflect on the "serious acts of intolerance" that have taken place within the university, and recalled the values of the Bocconi community: "Freedom of expression, valorization of diversity, ethics, and solidarity.".
While Minister Carfagna takes a stance on the incident, Paola Concia, a Democratic Party MP, instead points the finger at Education Minister Gelmini's silence, accusing her of having "never said a word on such an important issue as homophobia in school and university classrooms." When asked to intervene, she adds that "this episode is particularly heinous because it occurs in a place that should be safe and inclusive for all students." For Roberto S., gay rights associations have expressed their solidarity. "It's truly sad to hear that something like this happened in a university," comments Paolo Ferigo of Arcigay. "These are troglodyte actions, unbecoming of cultured people who study." Luca Maggioni of Gay Lib shared the same opinion: "If despicable situations like these can occur in the university that is supposed to produce our country's best leaders," he said, "we must be deeply concerned and redouble our efforts to achieve an increasingly urgent cultural change.".