Italy's Salvini ridicules calling of actor Gere to kidnapping trial

Palermo: Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy's right-wing League party, said a trial where he faces kidnapping charges for refusing to let a migrant ship dock in the country in 2019 was not serious as actor Richard Gere was admitted to testify.

Salvini, who was Italy's interior minister at that time, appeared on Saturday at the second hearing of a trial in the Sicilian capital Palermo, where the court approved a list of witnesses.

Witnesses include Italy's former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, other senior Italian politicians and Hollywood actor Richard Gere, who was in Italy at the time and joined the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms -- which managed the rescue ship -- to deliver food to people on board.