Rackete Carola: “I Thought The Italian Patrol Boat Would Move Out Of The Way”

Sea Watch 3 Captain Rackete Carola told an Italian judge after being arrested that she thought the Italian patrol boat that was intercepting her ship and between Sea Watch 3 and the port “would get out of the way”.

The judge has placed her under house arrest and will decide tomorrow if she is to be charged and detained with ramming a customs Police patrol boat while forcing her way into the port.
The interrogation went on for three hours.

Rackete was arrested and her ship impounded after decided to go against Italian authorities and head for the port of Lampedusa (Sicily) which caused her ship to collide with an Italian customs patrol boat.

She also faces other charges of bringing rescued people without permission.
And there is also a pending investigation on her for support and aiding human trafficking.

While she claims to be following international maritime law, Italian authorities were within their rights to refuse entry and to block the attempt to block the Lampedusa port.
She also claims that Lybia was not a safe place and set out specifically for the port of Lampedusa.
This caused a 16 day standoff and Italian authorities insisted that she take them to another port.
France, Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, and Portugal had offered to take them.

Italian president Matteo Salvini called actions “criminal” and a “pirate” for trying to ram the customs boat that was placed between Sea Watch and the port, and putting the safety of those on board at risk.