In solidarity with Italian MEP Cécile Kashetu Kyenge, I’m proud to have organised and signed this letter from black politicians and leaders across Europe. Cécile is being sued for defamation for calling the Italian League party racist.

The letter opens by saying:

“As black elected representatives and community leaders from across Europe, we are deeply troubled that a court in Piacenza, Italy, has allowed the Italian League party to open a case of defamation against Cécile Kashetu Kyenge, the former Italian minister of integration and current member of the European parliament, for calling the League racist. Cécile was responding to a picture posted on social media by Pablo Rainieri, who at the time was party secretary in the Emilia-Romagna region, depicting her as an orangutan.”