BERLIN — Thousands of people have donated money to cover the legal costs of a German woman arrested after the humanitarian rescue ship she captained docked in Italy in defiance of the country’s anti-migrant interior minister.
German television celebrities had appealed to the public to financially support Carola Rackete, soliciting more than 300,000 euros ($341,400) by early Sunday.
Rackete was arrested early Saturday after her ship, the Sea-Watch 3 with 40 rescued migrants on board, rammed an Italian border police motorboat that was blocking Sea-Watch 3’s path to the dock in Lampedusa.
No one was injured but the motorboat’s side was damaged. If convicted, the 31-year-old risks up to 10 years in prison.
She also risks a fine as high as 50,000 euros ($58,000) under a law cracking down on private rescue vessels.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.