Italians aren’t too thrilled with plans for a new university in their backyard.

Newsweek reports:

Odd School Ties: Islamic University Creates Backlash in Italy

Perched on the heel of Italy’s “boot,” the town of Lecce has long been known for its comely churches and intricate Baroque buildings. Today, however, the “Florence of the South” has made headlines for a much different reason: a controversial plan to open an Islamic university.

The plan’s architect is a bearded, 53-year-old Muslim convert named Giampiero Paladini, whom I met recently at a local hotel. Minutes into our conversation, a man stopped by our table to say hello. He took Paladini’s hand, leaned in a bit closer and whispered, “Il sindago essere un coglione.” Translation: “The mayor is a dick.”

The mayor, Paolo Perrone—who didn’t respond to an interview request—has criticized Paladini’s effort, saying, “It’s not the right time for the project.” Yet for many of Lecce’s residents, it’s not the mayor but Paladini who’s the real coglione. Several city councilors and politicians have denounced his project as a Trojan horse of radical Islam, and some fellow Muslims say he’s nothing more than a charlatan. Today, Paladini’s plan is about as popular in Italy as the now-defunct effort to build a mosque near New York City’s Ground Zero, and observers say his university has a zero chance of being built.