The Italian tenor joins right-wing opposition leader to criticize the country's strict lockdown measures, saying he feels 'humiliated and offended' by the stay-at-home order.
- Jul 29, 2020
AceShowbiz - Italian singer Andrea Bocelli has confessed to breaching his homeland's lockdown rules at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, revealing his lack of freedom made him feel "humiliated and offended."
The tenor was a guest speaker at an Italian Senate conference on Monday (27Jul20), where he joined right-wing opposition leader Matteo Salvini in challenging the government's strict measures to combat the pandemic.
Bocelli tested positive for the virus in May (20), just as the nation was going into lockdown, but told the conference attendees he felt "well" and had nothing but a "slight fever." He explained his children expressed their concern for dad's health, adding, "As time passed, I know lots of people, but I didn't know anyone who went into intensive care."
He added that he flouted the stay-at-home order because he did not think it was "right or healthy to stay home at my age," adding, "I need sun and vitamin D."
The singer did not go into the details of how he violated the country's lockdown restrictions, but protested he had "committed no crime."
On Tuesday, Italy's Health Ministry undersecretary Pierpaolo Sileri responded by suggesting Bocelli should "express the inconvenience of every Italian who, because of lockdown, stayed home," adding, "I wouldn't have said those words, but I imagine he'll be able to explain it somehow."
Italian leader Giuseppe Conte has since laid out plans for extending a state of emergency for the pandemic.
At the height of the pandemic in Italy, more than 4,000 people were in intensive care battling the virus. The nation briefly led the world in COVID-19 cases.
