Why Did Chinese Protestors Fill the Streets of Milan's Chinatown District?

It seems that the USA is not the only country with immigration concerns. Italy has been experiencing its fair share in recent years. While Italians generally are sympathetic, eventually their hospitality may wear thin. Thursday's upheaval in the Chinatown section of Milan could start the ball rolling for increased tensions between the immigrant communities and Italy's government and citizens.

As in any story, there are two sides to this issue. On one hand, we have a city attempting to maintain order in a large population. On the other side, we have Chinese immigrants, many illegal, which are angry over the city's strict regulations and feel that they are targeted unfairly. Causing this controversy is the city's enforcement of traffic laws.

The clash began when police issued a fine to Chinese shop owners because they were parked illegally while unloading their store's merchandise from their private car. (Both are violations under the law.) As they argued with the police, people gathered. The onlookers became involved when the child of the couple began to cry. From there, things escalated into a protest that would last into the night. At some point, the woman and her daughter were taken to the police station, an action that sparked more protests from the crowd. They even accused police of beating the two.

The city's mayor, Letizia Moratti, voiced concern over the reasons for the rioting. Both police officers and civilians were injured during the up rise. Bottles and other items where thrown at police, and cars were overturned. At one point, the crowd surrounded a police car with officers inside, prompting state police to intervene.

In typical fashion of a politician, Chinese consul, Zhang Limin, appeared on the scene. He claimed he wanted to calm the crowd, but he wasted no time in capturing the media's attention. He accused the Italian government of being too harsh on the Chinese businesses in the Via Paolo Sarpi area. He described how shopkeepers have complained of the "no tolerance" policies of the city, insinuating that the government was trying to keep them from earning a living.

Mayor Moratti quickly countered that the city cannot afford to relax on such laws. She pointed out that the laws apply to everyone, but the Chinatown district ignores them. In addition, the area has seen an increase in noise and traffic, further drawing the attention of the city.

If you have ever been to Milan, you would agree that laws to ease traffic congestion are needed. Drivers navigate their autos on public sidewalks, through narrow passages, and in situations that would make a NASCAR driver cringe. There are even times when sidewalks double as parking lots. Road rage seems a mild term compared to what some Italian drivers display. It is no wonder that officials are cracking down. The question becomes whether or not the city is discriminating against the people of Chinatown.

The actions of this past week have prompted cries from Italians who fear an overpopulation of illegal aliens. Citizens have begun to call out for a tougher stance on immigration by the government. Will this once accepting country change its mind about immigrants? Is this the beginning of change in Italy? Time will tell.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/12/europe/EU-GEN-Italy-Immigrants-Clash.php

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21554069-38200,00.html?from=public_rss

http://ciaomilano.it/e/shops/sarpi.asp

http://www.autostrade.it/autostrade/traffico.do?mapLevel=micro&mappa=milano_9