BARI – «Bari is an unsafe city. You cannot walk without fearing that some episode may occur, even if it is random, criminal. I have also told the mayor several times, and I believe that the matter cannot be dismissed by saying that there is a “criminal symbolism” »
This was stated by the Vice Minister of Justice, Pablo Sistoto comment on what happened yesterday, when a procession of scooters and motorcycles marched against the current in front of the prison after the funeral of 27-year-old motorcyclist Christian Di Gioia, who died on the night of June 21-22 in a traffic accident, and the threats to the carabinieri.
«I think – reported Sisto – that strong forms are needed in Bari, even when thinking of a “Safe Roads” operation. I already had the opportunity to discuss the issue with ministers Crosetto and Piantendosi, because I believe that Bari needs an intervention by the Army. The game of dodging responsibility is over.”
“I would also like to hear from the mayor Antonio Decaro on this point – continued the deputy minister – because I would like him to also agree on this and we together request the intervention of the Army. It is not about political antagonisms. Faced with the security of citizens there is no belonging, but only duty, compliance and obligation to intervene.
On yesterday’s images of the diverted procession according to Sisto “there is also an aggravating circumstance in the penal code, that of trespassing. That is, criminals who run through the streets of the city taking over the territory. A bad image that is certainly not good for Bari but above all, beyond the image, it worries about the survival of our fellow citizens”.
Silp CGIL’s response to the words of Vice Minister Paolo Sisto was immediate. For the union “the problem of security cannot be resolved with slogans from political leaders and it is more serious if the slogans are combined with ignorance of the cardinal principles of a democratic State, where internal security is entrusted to the police forces and not the Army.”
This was stated by the secretary of the Silp CGIL Pedro Colapietro. «The powers of the police are clear and are established by law -says Colapietro- You cannot continue to confuse internal security, defense and external security. It is not possible to continue making a stealthy attempt to militarize security thinking that an urban context is comparable to a theater of war”.
Colapietro announces that he will report the situation to the Chief of Police Victor Pisani and will ask the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi «to reiterate to all his fellow governments what are the peculiarities, specificities and tasks of uniformed workers. We – he concludes – need personnel, means and resources ».
The “New Carabinieri Union”, in any case, says it is concerned. “There is a worrying environment, which refers to a clear moral and social resurgence, we cannot accept the death threats on social networks against one of our colleagues, a State official, we cannot accept intimidating slogans disseminated at these hours against the Bari territorial weapon . », says the Apulia regional secretary of the New Carabinieri union, Nicola Magno, referring to the insults and threats against the military after the death of the motorcyclist, who is being investigated by the prosecutor’s office.
The union expresses its concern about an “unjustified media pillory against uniformed officers who represent the State” also because of “the reconstruction of the events by the local police that intervened, who explained in an official note that there was no participation of a patrol of the Arma to cause the death of the young man.
“Now we are asking for immediate responses from the judiciary and senior management, a strong hand – says Magno – against each of those responsible who have carried out an even more scandalous and intimidating action towards Arma and his soldiers”. “Let’s restore serenity to Bari and the people of Bari forever, the city of Bari – he concludes – unites unanimously and strongly and specifically condemns those who in these hours sow hatred”.
DECAR: YOU CANNOT BE SILENT
“The answer is to distance yourself from what happened. It is a very negative symbolic act, about which the city cannot remain silent. This was stated by the mayor of Bari and president of Anci, Antonio Decaro, on the sidelines of an act organized by Lav in Bari in reference to the funeral procession of anti-traffic scooters and motorcycles, in front of the prison, after the funeral of 27 The motorcyclist Christian Di Gioia, 19, died on the night of June 21-22 in a car accident after the young man failed to stop at the police station.
“Regarding the child’s death,” Decaro added, “investigations are underway by the judiciary and the police and I’m sure we’ll have some answers soon.” “It is correct – he specified – to make the magistrates and the Security Forces and Bodies work and have a lot of confidence in their work, because they have always shown that they know how to do it well.”
That of an army garrison in some areas of Bari “is a request that I also made to the government some time ago, to regain control in the squares as before.” This was stated by the mayor of Bari and president of Anci, Antonio Decaro, on the sidelines of an event organized by Lav in Bari. The reference is to the statements of the Vice Minister of Justice, Francesco Paolo Sisto, that the following day the funeral and the motorcycle against the current in front of the Bari prison, they had invoked the need to use the military.
“The government – added Decaro – responded that it had replaced, in recent months, the number of soldiers with a similar number of operators from the police forces because the soldiers are involved in activities of an institutional nature regarding the war in Ukraine.” . “Those principals – the mayor recalled – were in the old city, in front of the central station, in Piazza Umberto with the accompaniment of the forces of order, because only they can intervene and not the military”.
