Italy is ‘shocked - people think it's an invasion' Staggering insight as Lampedusa migrant crisis worsens
Over 12,000 migrants have descended on Lampedusa in the past week
Reuters
Italian Political Commentator Paola Diana has revealed Italians are 'shocked' by the number of African migrants travelling to the island of Lampedusa, comparing the influx to an 'invasion' after record-breaking numbers travelled to the small island from Africa.
The island, which has an average permanent population of 6,000, has seen a surge of over 12,000 people in the last week alone.
Hundreds of police officers have arrived at Lampedusa Airport in the last 24 hours, in a bid to tackle the surging number of arrivals by boat.
GB News' Home and Security Editor, Mark White, told GB News live from Lampedusa that there would 'only be at any given time around about half a dozen police officers normally'.
WATCH NOW: ITALIANS ON LAMPEDUSA MIGRANTS
Diana spoke to GB News presenters Ellie Costello and Martin Daubney, to share the thoughts of Italian locals on migrants landing in Lampedusa.
Costello asked: “How is this being received by the people of Italy and by the media there?”
Diana said: “The people of Italy, they are shocked, and they consider it an invasion. Let's talk it with the right name, and it's not sustainable.
“We can't think that Italy can sustain these numbers of illegal migrants coming from Africa. And we have to remember people who think that we should, that these are not engineers or very high skilled people like they were coming from Syria at the time. Unfortunately, they're very poor people and they need everything, and Italy cannot sustain these numbers.
“And we know that France is speaking in a very good way saying that they have to help Italy and the same the other countries. But at this moment in Ventimiglia that is at the border with Italy, France has soldiers, they're blocking illegal migrants."
Martin Daubney then asked: "How does this make the Italian public feel about the European Union? I mean, they're not sending out much help, are they?"
Diana replied: "Absolutely. But the Italians, now, they're moving to the right. We know that the centre right coalition now reached 41%, but it is a huge number and I'm sure it will reach even farther if this crisis won't be sorted.
Paola Diana revealed that Italians are 'shocked' by the 'invasion' on Lampedusa
GB News
“We need to block the starting point. We need to make agreements with the African countries. Europe has to change completely the view on refugees, because it's a very naive legislation.
"It's like they we should help, as Macron said, all the misery of this word. But it's not, it's not factual in in in reality it's impossible. So we should be more pragmatic and definitely help people not risk their life crossing the border they should stay in Tunisia and Libya, they are the countries where they come the most."
Diana continued: “And Macron said after the Pope told that France should do their beat as well, Macron replied saying that France cannot have all the cannot help with the misery of this world.
“And that's an interesting attitude. It's not in solidarity with Italy or with the European concepts at all. So I think there is something more urgent to do and they should definitely change the whole refugee legislation because that is not sustainable.”