The Italian town that banned cricket
Nearly a third of Monfalcone's residents are foreign, and the mayor says the "cultural essence" of the town is in danger.
www.bbc.com
The town has an ethnic make-up unique in Italy: of a population of just over 30,000, nearly a third are foreigners. Most of them are Bangladeshi Muslims who began to arrive in the late 1990s to build giant cruise-ships.
As a consequence the cultural essence of Monfalcone is in danger, according to mayor Anna Maria Cisint, who belongs to the far-right League party.
She swept to power on the back of anti-immigration sentiment - and has gone on a mission to “protect” her town and defend Christian values.
Christians are very concerned about what people do with their middle wickets.Is it un-Christian to play cricket ?
Is it un-Christian to play cricket ?
We are 30% in that town now but just watch the space after 20 years.
No, Jesus played cricket.
Jesus was the first person to ever play cricket
Jesus turned water into wine, fed the 5,000 and - as it turns out - loved a game of cricket in his spare time.Experts have claimed that Jesus was the first person to ever play cricket and he used his abilities to walk on water and field the ball. Historians Tom Holland, Dominic Sandbrook and...www.indy100.comJesus Played Cricket, Manuscript Suggests
It is possible that cricket, a game venerated all over the Commonwealth, is older than currently thought. In fact, Jesus may very well have played the game (or a similar bat and ball contraption) as a child himself, according to an ancient Armenian manuscript. Long before the English launched...www.historynewsnetwork.org
Orania is Bangladeshi-proof.In Orania they banned... soccer.
True as Bob.
Joking!
“People from the town started sending me shocking photos and videos which showed a huge number of people praying in the two Islamic centres: as many as 1,900 in just one building,” the mayor says.
“There are so many bikes left on the pavement, and loud prayers five times a day - even at night.”
Mayor Cisint says this was unfair to local residents - and argues her ban on collective prayer comes down to an issue of urban planning regulations. The Islamic centres are not designated for religious worship, and she says it’s not her job to provide them.
Islam is not among the 13 religions that have official status under Italian law, which complicates efforts to build places of worship.
Bangladeshis in Monfalcone say the mayor’s decision has had an enormous impact on the Muslim community.
“The mayor thinks that Bengalis are trying to Islamify Italy - but we are just minding our own business,” says 19-year-old Meheli. She’s originally from Dhaka in Bangladesh but grew up in Italy, wears Western clothes and speaks fluent Italian.
Ah yes, banning cricket makes complete sense now.> We are only minding our own business.
> Bleats out prayers on loudspeakers five times per day.
It is petty, futile & silly move from Mayor. Good chances that within 20 years, Italy will join International cricket with 50% of team as Bangladeshi immigrants.What the heck. That is just called intolerance Italy. I can get the loudspeaker prayers, that is invasive of non-believers. Cricket though is a personal hobby and is an internationally recognized sport. Why ban that? Are they scared people will realize its better than soccer?