The local centre-left majority Democratic Party (Pd) in Milan on Wednesday called for anopposition councilor to "apologize or resign" after making transphobic insults during a city council session on Monday.
Samuele Piscina, the provincial secretary of the right-wing League, came under fire after saying that "transsexuals spitinfected blood".
"Our city does not deserve to be administered, albeit in the opposition, by someone who even thinks such a thing, let alone states it during the council," said Pd councilor and LGBTQ+ activist Michele Albiani in a statement.
"Samuele Piscina should apologize publicly or we will ask for his regret," he added.
"Meanwhile, absolute solidarity and closeness go to the communities that have been insulted," continued Albiani, adding that the remarks "demonstrate for the umpteenth time the cultural and human backwardness of the League".
"To use fake news, insulting people who are already marginalized, for grim propaganda is reprehensible and unacceptable," he concluded.
Piscina made the transphobic remark during a debate on Sunday's skirmishes between left-wing protesters and police in the area of Via Padova, which Albiani had described as a "model of integration".
"To consider Via Padova a model of integration is an aberrant mystery of reality," said Piscina.
"In Via Mosso, a League-led centre-right administration had to impose railings because transsexuals were spitting infected blood at the police. That was what was happening. There was drug dealing and prostitution," he added, sparking an angry response from Albiani.
Photo: Milan League secretary Samuele Piscina.
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