Barcelona, July 6 (RHC)-- In Barcelona, Spain, an immigrant rights activist scaled a monument to Christopher Columbus and placed a giant life vest on the statue’s arm reading, “Open Arms.”  It was a protest against Italy’s new anti-immigrant government, which came as a ship carrying 60 migrants docked in Barcelona after the vessel spent days at sea when it was turned around by Italy and Malta, whose governments are cracking down on the influx of migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa. 

Members of the group Proactiva Open Arms say they believe as many as 340 migrants have drowned at sea who might otherwise have been saved if their group had been allowed to complete its rescue operations. 

Open Arms spokesperson Mar Sebe told reporters: “We decided to make this action to spread the word, to tell the people what’s happening and to tell the people that all human rights are on stage right now, and we have to really go out and defend.”