This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000460 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2016 
TAGS: PREL PTER KISL ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: ITALIAN MINISTER FLAUNTS CARTOONS IN T-SHIRTS 
 
Classified By: POLMINCOUNS DAVID PEARCE, FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)(D) 
 
¶1.  (U)  On February 14, Minister for Reforms Roberto 
Calderoli announced he had printed t-shirts emblazoned with 
the Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad and would start 
wearing them.  Calderoli is a member of the anti-immigrant 
Northern League party that is part of PM Berlusconi's 
center-right coalition.  In his statement he said "We have to 
put an end to this story that we can talk to these people. 
They only want to humiliate people.  Full stop. And what are 
we becoming?  The civilization of melted butter." 
 
¶2.  (U)  Calderoli took this action after protesting the 
decision by Interior Minister Pisanu to endorse a statement 
by the Islamic Consultative Council which unanimously 
condemned both the cartoons as an offense against Islam as a 
religion and every form of illegal or violent reaction to the 
cartoons. The Council, which was formed by Pisanu to provide 
the government with advice on how to deal with the Muslim 
community in Italy, also recommended that any demonstrations 
or protests be conducting in a legal and responsible manner. 
 
¶3.  (C)  Upon hearing the news of Calderoli's statement, DCM 
alerted the MFA and Polmincouns alerted the PM's office, 
neither of which were aware of the statement. We also alerted 
the USG Olympic Office in Turin, where there is a sizable 
Muslim community.  Calderoli subsequently told the press that 
PM Berlusconi called to scold him and ask that he correct his 
statement.  Calderoli emphasized his actions did not 
represent the views of the government, but were a personal 
statement he made as leader of the Northern League party.  He 
said he would have no problem with resigning, but with a 
threat that other members of the party would follow, implying 
this would bring down the government.  Calderoli's press 
spokesperson characterized this stunt to poloff as a defense 
of freedom of expression. 
 
¶4.  (U)  There has been little immediate print or TV coverage 
of Calderoli's action in Italy.  However, the Union of 
Islamic Communities and Organizations (UCOII), the largest 
organization of mosques in Italy, issued a statement February 
14 saying it would take legal action against any Italian 
papers that printed the cartoons.  UCOII condemned the 
violent worldwide reactions to the cartoons and, during an 
informal UCOII meeting, decided to reject organizing street 
demonstrations, to write to President Ciampi asking him to 
reassert the need for reciprocal respect for religious 
sensibility and to send a message to Interior Minster Pisanu 
thanking him for his support. 
 
¶5.  (C)  The MFA's Operations Center told poloff they 
continue to carefully monitor the situation, are in daily 
conference calls with EU partners and have discretely stepped 
up security measures in their overseas missions.  The MFA 
issued travel warnings for Muslim countries that urge 
precautionary measures due to "recent developments."  They 
are especially worried about the Italian missions in Syria 
and Pakistan but want to retain as low a profile as possible. 
 
¶6.  (C)  Comment:  Given the uncharacteristically muted 
Italian media coverage, the government evidently 
mounted a full-court press to contain coverage once the 
story broke.  In addition, they quickly ginned up the PM's 
call to Calderoli.  The minister's latest comments are in 
line with his previous anti-immigrant 
and anti-Muslim statements.  The Northern League 
is known for its anti-immigrant stance, but it is not 
alone.  Berlusconi's Forza Italia party recently posted 
billboards which rhetorically ask if Italians want more 
immigrants in the country.  Latest polls indicate the April 9 
election is too close to call, and Berlusconi's handling of 
Calderoli will be conditioned by the electoral reality 
that he needs to keep the Northern League on board.  It is 
too early to tell whether Calderoli's electoral stunt 
will undermine Italian security overseas.  While the 
initial story has not generated much local coverage, 
it could get new legs if al-Jazeera or another camera crew 
manages to find and photograph one of the offending garments. 
 
End Comment. 
 
 
 
 
SPOGLI