http://www.jta.org/news/article/2012/05/15/3095451/rome-judge-criticized-for-fining-journalist-who-saterized-anti-semitic-cartoon

Rome judge slammed for fining journalist who satirized anti-Semitic cartoon

Jewish groups criticized a Rome judge for fining an Italian journalist who satirized a newspaper caricature of an Italian Jewish politician that many deemed anti-Semitic.

In a ruling last week, Judge Emanuela Attura indicated that she would compel journalist Peppino Caldarola to pay the court-ordered fine of more than $32,000 stemming from the case, in which Caldarola was charged with slandering extreme-leftist writer Vauro Senesi.

Senesi’s caricature of politician Fiamma Nirenstein was published in 2008 in the left-wing newspaper Il Manifesto. Calling her “Fiamma Frankenstein,” it showed Nirenstein as a monster with wild hair and hooked nose, wearing a Star of David and a fascist symbol. Nirenstein is a member of the right-wing Freedom Party.

Here is an article about the original lefty cartoonist who was accused of anti semitism and cleared. This excuse they give is highly amusing. What goes around comes around.

An Italian court has ruled that a controversial illustrator could not be publicly accused of anti-Semitism because of his actions on behalf of causes related to third world countries.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4222386,00.html

And here that fat oven dodger from the ADL whines about free speech. They must think we were born yesterday. Even more amusing that they actually use a word like hypocritical. You know damn well, that while they whine about free speech rights they also want the lefty cartoonist locked up for hate speech.

My reaction to this, like that of the Jewish community in Italy, is anger, shock and disbelief," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "We are completely bewildered at this hypocritical judgment which turns the world upside down and punishes free speech while protecting anti-Semitic and bigoted speech. Peppino Caldarola had the courage to stand up and say 'no' to anti-Semitism and bigotry. And for this he gets fined?"

Mr. Foxman, who is currently in Rome for a series of meetings with Italian government officials, said he was pleased that a fund has been established to help Mr. Caldarola pay the fine. "We encourage Italians to make even a small donation to protest this ruling and support Mr. Caldarola for having the courage to speak out against anti-Semitism," he said

http://www.adl.org/PresRele/ASInt_13/6310_13.htm