Nude statues covered in Rome so as not to offend Iranian president



ROME: -- Boxed up so as not to offend … Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has come under fire after ancient nude statutes in Rome’s Capitoline museum were covered up during a visit by Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani.

Politicians across the spectrum said it was a step too far to please a guest and that business had come before Italy’s cultural identity.

Italy and Iran will sign up to 17 billion euros of business deals during the two day visit of the Iranian delegation which began on Monday,

“Respect for other cultures cannot and must not mean negating our own,” said Luca Squeri, a lawmaker in former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right Forza Italia party. “This isn’t respect, it’s canceling out differences and it’s a kind of surrender.”

At Iran’s request Italy also kept wine off the menu at a ceremonial dinner on Monday evening.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-01-27

Disgraceful......not the statues..the cover up.

And if he will not eat where wine is served let him go hungry. He has the right to not drink it which I would support but not to stop others.

Edited January 27, 201610 yr by harrry

what you don't know is the ten women he brought with him covered up from head to toe are Russian hookers.

Best not to offend the Islamic nuclear bomb maker.

Hard to believe he will be offended by anything he sees in Rome - he attended university in Glasgow so probably had a few interesting 'experiences' during Saturday nights in Sauchiehall Street

Let's hope nobody offered them bacon sarnies for breakfast!

Over the top accommodation.

This shouldn't have been done.
Showing much more respect than is deserved to a leader of the Iran of state sponsored terrorism.

I guess given the history of the Vatican not too surprising though.

If he doesn't want to see the exhibits in the museum, then don't force him to visit the museum.

If he doesn't want to see people drinking wine at a dinner, then don't force him to attend a dinner.

Let's hope nobody offered them bacon sarnies for breakfast!

And to think I honestly can not remember the name of the former labour politician you are trying to satire...

Guess they won't be serving these.

How ridiculous, it's art not pornography....and porn is more honest than religion.

So when the Pope visits Iran are they going to erect nude statues to accommodate him?

Edited January 27, 201610 yr by Jingthing

So when the Pope visits Iran are they doing to erect nude statues to accommodate him?

This below is a fountain btw.

This pork thing is silly. It's not OK to serve an observant Muslim pork or wine but other diners should get their wine if they want it.

Disgraceful and ridiculous.

well that's the west for you.....................no spine.

well that's the west for you.....................no spine.

Yep, but not all the west. France wouldn't do that. Viva la France!

What''s he doing. Political correctness goes bizarre

What''s he doing. Political correctness goes bizarre

It's definitely the wrong message.

So much for old adage "When in Rome, do as the Romans do"

Just because the Iranians cover up what they find offensive it doesn't mean we should pander to their lunacy. If it were the head of Medusa or ruins of Sodom I could understand it, but not a few ancient statues.

Not so bad making a temporary arrangement for a guest.

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Its ART and now we start to cover up our european art and lifestyle for a muslim desport and oppressor of human rights

Are we Europeans not getting crazy! Shame on that!!!!!!

In 2002 under religious fanatic US Attorney General John Ashcroft $8000 of my tax money was spent to cover "breasts" and "loins" on some Art Deco statues that had stood for decades.

That I can't forgive.

Edited January 27, 201610 yr by arunsakda

If he doesn't want to see the exhibits in the museum, then don't force him to visit the museum.

If he doesn't want to see people drinking wine at a dinner, then don't force him to attend a dinner.

I would prefer that the word "ask" be substituted for "force", but I did give your post a "Like"!

Is anybody else getting fed up of seeing these "so as not to offend" decisions, usually in reference to people from a particular religious denomination?

And I have yet to see any decision taken "so as not to offend Christians"

P.S. I'm an atheist!

Edited January 27, 201610 yr by sambum

....nowhere to hang their hats and coats now?

It would take a bloody big sheet to cover up all those hangings in the streets, if the Pope ever visits Iran!

Its ART and now we start to cover up our european art and lifestyle for a muslim desport and oppressor of human rights

Are we Europeans not getting crazy! Shame on that!!!!!!

Exactly. Stand up and stand proud for Western civilization and indeed all civilization, that is indeed threatened by Islamist extremism.

Well there's some hope, true PC nutters would have thrown them in garbage.