Italy Sees Mass Protests After Senate Votes Down Anti-Homophobia Bill – Video

The law would have made homophobia, misogyny, and violence to disabled people a hate crime – while a politician from Italy's Democratic party (PD) called the vote “one of the worst pages in the history of the Italian republic."
Sputnik
Mass protests have taken place in Rome and Milan after Italy's Senate killed off a bill which would have made homophobia a hate crime, like racism.
The Senate's 154 lawmakers voted against the bill, while 131 voted in favour. Among its opponents were the right-wing Northern League and Brothers of Italy parties, as well as the Vatican.
The so-called "Zan bill" – named after gay centre-left Democratic party (PD) legislator Alessandro Zan – passed the House of Representatives last year. However, after supporters and opponents of the law failed to reach an agreement, a vote in the Senate was сalled.
In June, the Vatican filed a formal diplomatic complaint against the proposed legislation, saying that – if passed – the law could result in Catholics being prosecuted for speaking in favour of traditional heterosexual relations.
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