Newly appointed Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini pledged to decrease the number of migrant arrivals in Sicily, speaking from Catania on Sunday, where he was met by a group of protesters.
Salvini said that the maritime route to Sicily has turned into a cemetery and that migrant arrivals must be reduced.
“Limiting the arrivals and augmenting the expulsions will save lives,” Salvini said.
A group of protesters was present, and chanted slogans such as “Salvini racist” and “Go home.” Tensions rose when police tried to block protesters from passing through.