“Their ancestors committed deicide, now they have total control of the world, depriving us of the truth”: Politician from Trieste, Italy blames coronavirus on Jews
Fabio Tuiach, a controversial council member in the northern city of Trieste, Italy, has posted claims on his social media pages that Jews are at “fault” for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Tuiach, who reportedly proposed theories typical of Nazi propaganda, said: “Their ancestors committed deicide, now they have total control of the world, depriving us of the truth.”
The councillor previously sparked controversy in 2019 when he abstained from a vote to grant an Auschwitz survivor, Liliana Segre, honorary citizenship in the city. Mr Tuiach, a self-proclaimed devout Catholic, stated that he was shocked and offended by Ms Segre’s comments describing Jesus as Jewish.
The Holocaust survivor has been a target for online abuse, including death threats, since she first called for the creation of a Parliamentary committee to combat racism and online hate speech in Italy.
Mr. Tuiach’s comments provoked outrage amongst his colleagues and Christian leaders, as well as online. On 19th November 2019, the motion to grant Ms Segre’s citizenship was approved and various cities across Italy named her an honorary citizen to show solidarity with her cause.
Mr. Tuiach was elected to Trieste’s City Council in 2016 with the backing of the League party, however he since left to join Forzo Nuova, an openly neofascist movement. He is now, however, reportedly an active independent.
The recent social media posts are yet to be removed, despite criticism from the public.
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