This archive report was first published on 5 July 2019.
On July 5, 2019, Sea-Watch captain Carola Rackete announced plans to sue Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini for defamation, citing his repeated insults on social media.
Salvini, a vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump, has a history of using social media to target individuals he disagrees with, including Rackete.
According to lawyer Alessandro Gamberini, Salvini 'stirs the troubled waters of hate' and a defamation lawsuit is a necessary step to send a signal.
Salvini responded angrily to the news, tweeting, 'She breaks laws and attacks Italian military vessels, and then she sues me. I'm not afraid of the Mafia, let alone a rich and spoiled communist!'
Rackete, 31, was arrested last week after she defied orders to stay away and forced her way into port on Italy's southern Lampedusa island to disembark 40 rescued migrants.
Italian police had been trying to prevent Rackete from bringing the migrants ashore, but an Italian judge later ordered her release, citing her actions as a legitimate attempt to save lives.
