Italians protest at politician's anti-gay outburst

ROME, Aug 12 (Reuters) Hundreds of Italians protested in the northern Italian city of Treviso after the city's deputy mayor called for the ''ethnic cleansing'' of homosexuals from the area.

The protesters gathered outside city hall to demand Giancarlo Gentilini's resignation, some wearing pink triangles like the ones homosexual men had to wear in Nazi concentration camps.

Prosecutors were also looking into the deputy mayor's comments to see whether they might warrant a criminal investigation, Italian media reported yesterday.

''Today's protest, which is joined by hundreds of people, will not be the last. It will be the first in a long series,'' said Aurelio Mancuso, the head of gay rights group Arcigay.

A member of the right-wing Northern League party, Gentilini said on Wednesday he was so fed up with gays having sex in a car park that he was going to order police to carry out ''ethnic cleansing'' of homosexuals.

''I will immediately give orders to my forces so that they can carry out an ethnic cleansing of faggots,'' Gentilini told a local television station, in comments later posted on Web site YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6soZnWfUgdo.

''The faggots must go to other (cities) where they are welcome.

Here in Treviso there is no chance for faggots or the like.'' His comments were roundly condemned, with some members of his own far-right party siding with angry ministers in centre-left government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

Some lawmakers accused Gentilini of breaking Italian law by inciting hatred, violence and discrimination against homosexuals.

''The term 'ethnic cleansing' evokes tragic chapters of history which have brought death and suffering to millions of people,'' Family Minister Rosy Bindi was quoted as saying by Italy's ANSA news agency.

''Nobody, and certainly not somebody with public responsibility, is authorised to use such language.'' Prosecutors obtained a recorded copy of Gentilini's remarks on Friday to see whether they broke the law, but no criminal probe was under way, Italian media reported.

REUTERS SBA RAI0420