Washington [US], February 8: United States President Donald Trump has reacted with surprise that his deputy, JD Vance, was booed in Italy at the opening ceremony of the Milan/Cortina Winter Olympics which was received well abroad.
Vance was booed by the San Siro crowd on Friday when he and his wife were shown into the VIP area on the big stadium screen as the US team entered the arena during the parade of nations. The athletes were greeted with big applause.
Confronted with the news by reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump was quoted as saying: "Is that true? That's surprising because people like him. I mean, he is in a foreign country in all fairness. He doesn't get booed in this country."
However, Vance was also been booed on several occasions last year during appearances in Washington, for instance when he attended a concert at the then Kennedy Center. Vance arrived in Milan on Thursday, attended a women's ice hockey match and has also held talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Several hundred students marched through Milan on Friday in protest against the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials at the Games as part of the US security detail protecting dignitaries.
There were again protests on Saturday and according to independent estimates, more than 3,000 people participated.
The march was followed by numerous security forces and headed towards the Olympic Village, where the athletes are staying during the Games.
Demonstrators were carrying signs saying "ICE out" and "ICE = SS," comparing the agency to the Nazi paramilitary organization the Schutzstaffel.
ICE has come under criticism for their treatment of immigrants in the United States, which has resulted in the death of two US citizens.
There were also boos on Friday for Israel's team while the team from Ukraine received a rousing welcome from the mainly Italian crowd.
Italian paper La Repubblica also highlighted "ovations" for Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who had officially opened the Games during the colourful ceremony highlighting Italy's rich culture and lifestyle.
La Stampa labelled the spectacle of more than three hours "classic, with a touch of retro, with those touches of elegance that always save us.
"This is how we present ourselves - a little as expected and a little as unexpected: with the voice of the people who break away from the script and decide that the IOC may be neutral, but Italy is not."
Source: Qatar Tribune
