Monfalcone, a town in northern Italy, has apparently banned playing cricket. Playing cricket in the town could lead to fines of ₹9,325 (100 euros).
The BBC spoke to a group of Bangladeshi friends practising cricket under the hot Italian sun in a small concrete area near Trieste airport. They avoided playing in Monfalcone itself due to the apparent ban imposed by the mayor, as per the group.
Mayor Anna Maria Cisint, associated with a right-wing political party, gained her position largely due to her strong stance against immigration. She has since focused on safeguarding her community and upholding Christian traditions.
In a conversation with the BBC, she expressed concerns that their heritage was being forgotten and that changes led to a decline in values.
“There’s a very strong process of Islamic fundamentalism here. A culture where women are treated very badly and oppressed by men,” she said.
The ban on cricket in Monfalcone highlights the underlying conflicts in the town, as per the BBC. Monfalcone’s population is more than 30,000. Around one-third of the residents are foreign nationals. Many of them are Bangladeshi Muslims who first migrated in the late 1990s for work, as per the publication.
During her two terms as mayor, Cisint has made decisions that affected the local Bangladeshi community, such as removing benches from the town square where they used to come together.
Why ban cricket?
Regarding her ban on cricket, Mayor Cisint argues that there is neither the space nor the funds for a new pitch. She also cited safety concerns with cricket balls. Mayor Cisint said she would not allow the Bangladeshis to play cricket in Monfalcone.
“They’ve given nothing to this city, to our community. Zero. They are free to go and play cricket anywhere else… outside of Monfalcone,” she told the publication.
Meanwhile, in India, the search for “cricket” trends high on Google:
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