‘Wake up!’ – Deputy walks out of EU parliament clad in yellow vest

“There are responsibilities that some do not want to see, there are deep responsibilities, I can not accept that phrase, ‘We have to go on’. No, we can not go on with the mistakes, we can not go on with our mistakes, we can not to allow the mistakes of France and often of Europe to lead to Islamic extremism spreading, which often, I repeat, costs innocent citizens their lives,” Ciocca told deputies.

On Tuesday evening, a man with North African roots opened fire on people at a Christmas market in Strasburg. The repeat-offender and ex-convict acted on behalf of the terrorist organisation ISIS, while he should have been arrested before the fact.

In the meantime, five people succumbed to the serious injuries they suffered as a result of the attacker’s actions.

Ciocca pulled out a yellow vest during his speech, similar to the one worn by hundreds of thousands in protesters in France and Belgium in recent weeks.

“After the vote, I will leave Strasburg, I will leave France. I invite Macron to come here to Strasburg instead, I will return to Italy as a token of protest, I say to all, Wake up!”

As he left, he repeated three times: “Wake up!”

EU Parliament President Antonio Tajani accused Ciocca of trying to advance a propaganda manifesto. In fact, Tajani lost his composure and yelled at the Italian politician: “Let me speak and sit down again! Ciocca, sit down!

“It is a matter of decency, you are poorly educated, you do not interrupt the one who speaks, it is a question of education, stay in your place. This is really not a circus here, there are sacrifices, and you have to respect victims – there is no room for propaganda!”

Edouard Martin of the Socialist Party in France, also accused the Italian member of the delegation of “plunging like a vulture on the remains of the victims in order to gain political capital”.

Olaf Stuger of the Dutch Party for Freedom, in turn, spoke out in support of Ciocca and countered:

“I think there is only one way to respect the victims, and that is to recognise the danger. Such and other risks, Mr President, has to do with Islamist terrorism, you must see that too.”