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Benetton Fires Famed Photographer Over Bridge Collapse Remarks

Associated Press

   MILAN - PhotographerOlivier Toscani made a career out of provocative
   advertising campaigns for Benetton, the Italian clothing maker famed
   for its colorful knitwear. But that decades-long relationship has
   beensevered after Toscani outraged relativesof victims in the deadly
   2018 Genoa bridge collapse.

   Toscani told RAI television this week, "Who cares about a
   bridgecollapse?`` He was responding to a public flap over a photograph
   of founding members of the Sardines political protest movement
   alongside key members of the Benettonfamily,which controls the company
   that maintained the bridge.

   The president of the committee to remember the 43 people who died
   August14, 2018,in the Morandi Bridge collapse called the
   remarks"inopportune and confused.''

   `'It could be that[Toscani]travels by helicopter and using a bridge is
   for commoners,'' EglePossettisaid. `'Unfortunately, many Italians
   travel over bridges every day, and unfortunately some people will
   remain forever under'that bridge,' certainly not due to some stray
   lightning strike. Forty-three innocent deaths count little for him, but
   for us they were everything.''

   'Deeply pained'

   Toscani apologized in an interview with La Repubblica published
   Thursday. ``I am sorry. More:I am ashamedtoapologize. I
   amhumanlydestroyed and deeply pained.''

   But the damage was done.

   Benetton said in a statement Thursday that the group"completely
   disassociates itself from Mr. Toscani's remarks and acknowledges the
   impossibility of continuing the professional relationship with its
   creative director.''

   It added thatchairmanLuciano Benetton"and the entire company renew
   their sincere closeness to the families of the victims and to all those
   who have been involved in thisterrible tragedy.''

   The Benetton family, as controlling stakeholder in theAutostradehighway
   company that maintained the Morandi bridge, has been embattled
   eversincethe accident as the government squabbles over whether to
   revoke its agreement to operate thousands of kilometers of Italian toll
   highways.

   Sothe photo showing the founders of the Sardines movement alongside
   theBenettonswas widely criticized as a misstep by the less than
   three-month-old group.

   Since its founding in November, the group has mobilized tens of
   thousands to protest the growing popularity of right-wing leader
   MatteoSalvini. The leaders said their appearance in the photo, at the
   Benetton cultural center Fabrica, had been"naive.''

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