Alfie’s Italian now
Tot made a citizen in bid to secure move to Rome hospital Supporters attempt to storm Alder Hey as emotions run high
ITALY last night dramatically intervened in the case of Alfie Evans by granting him citizenship.
Parents Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, hope the decision will secure the terminally ill toddler a transfer to a hospital in Rome.
The move came as emotions ran high outside Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, with Alfie’s supporters trying to storm the entrance at one point.
Tom was greeted by cheers as he announced the latest developments to the crowd, known as “Alfie’s Army”.
He declared: “My son belongs to Italy and I’m not stopping this fight until Alfie tells me to. I’m stood here now and Alfie is still alive. Why? Because I’m still fighting and so is Alfie. I’ve been at Alfie’s side every minute of every day.
“I’ve been with him all day today. I love this army, I love Alfie and I love Kate.”
Alfie, aged 23 months, has a degenerative brain condition and doctors say he will never recover. The High Court has granted the hospital permission to withdraw his life support.
But his parents have refused to give up their battle to have him transferred abroad.
They hope he can be treated at Rome’s Bambino Gesu Paediatric Hospital, which has links to the Vatican.
Last week Alfie’s father was granted an audience with the Pope and begged for his support, saying: “Save our son.”
A message appeared on the pontiff ’s Twitter page last night, which read: “Moved by the prayers and immense solidarity shown little Alfie Evans.
“I renew my appeal that the suffering of his parents may be heard and that their desire to seek new forms of treatment may be granted.” His message came after the Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed the decision to grant Alfie citizenship.
It said: “The Italian government hopes that being an Italian citizen will allow the child immediate transfer to Italy.”
Mr Justice Hayden, the judge who ruled Alfie should be allowed to die, last night heard submissions from lawyers via a telephone link, a spokeswoman said. The outcome of the private hearing
My son belongs to Italy and I’m not stopping this fight until Alfie tells me to TOM EVANS SPEAKS TO CROWD AT ALDER HEY YESTERDAY
is not yet known. Earlier, Pavel Stroilov, of the Christian Legal Centre, also addressed supporters in Liverpool.
Mr Stroilov, who is representing Alfie’s parents, said: “Italy has just granted citizenship to Alfie and the Italian ambassador has urgently contacted the court with a request for the Italian government to be allowed to intervene in the case and seek the return of their citizen Alfie Evans to Italy.
“We don’t know what the response will be and whether it’s going to stop the withdrawal of treatment here.”
The developments came just hours after the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg refused to intervene.
Large crowds had gathered outside Alder Hey during the day, twice blocking the busy dual carriageway. At one point dozens of protesters tried to storm the main entrance but were held back by a line of 20 police officers.
At the cafe near the entrance, parents of young patients had to move their children out of view of the large mob gathered outside.
A spokesman for the hospital said: “Alder Hey Children’s Hospital remains open as usual for all visitors and appointments, however visitors may notice an increase in visible police presence in and around the hospital site – this is part of our ongoing security arrangements.”
In February this year, Mr Justice Hayden ruled that doctors at Alder Hey could stop treating Alfie, against the wishes of his parents, following hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London and Liverpool. Specialists said life support treatment should stop and the judge accepted medical evidence which showed any further treatment would be futile. He said flying the tot to a foreign hospital would be wrong and pointless. Court of Appeal judges later upheld his ruling. The parents went to the European court after the Supreme Court last week ruled against more delays in the “desperately sad case”. Judges said: “The hospital must be free to do what has been determined to be in Alfie’s best interests.
“No application to the ECHR can or should change that.”
But Tom and Kate, of Bootle, Merseyside, have continued to argue their son is being wrongly “detained”.
Last week TV doctor Ravi Jayaram, who has appeared on ITV’s This Morning and the BBC’s The One Show, criticised some of Alfie’s supporters.
He said abuse aimed at doctors treating the youngster during hospital protests has been “terrifying”.
Dr Jayaram said: “I’ve no sympathy for the mob jumping on the bandwagon and behaving like some kind of 17th century witch-hunting lynch mob.”