Thread by @NickWhithorn

1. Tomorrow #Salvini is visiting Corleone in #Sicily to speak about "liberation from the #mafia". Thread >>

2. Everybody knows that, in order to break the omertà that surrounds mafia crimes, those that speak out, rebel, resist, need protection, along with their families. On this score, Salvini's record since becoming Interior Minister on June 1st 2018 is somewhat lacking >>

3. In September 2018 protection for Benedetto Zoccola, Deputy Mayor of Mondragone was reduced. He testified against local Camorra clan & suffered bomb attacks, losing use of 1 ear & 1eye. He took legal action & full protection was restored on 14 April 2019
avvenire.it/amp/attualita/…

4. On 14 December 2018 protection was removed from Vincenzo Conticello, who testified against a mafia protection racket that targeted his restaurant 'Foccaceria San Francesco' in Palermo. He was forced to sell his business & move to Rome >>
m.tp24.it/2018/12/19/ant…

5. On 5 January 2019 Sonia Alfano, whose journalist father was murdered by mafia in 1993 & who was Chair of the European Parliament Committee on Organised Crime, Corruption and Money Laundering, gave up her protection voluntarily due to its inadequacy >>
facebook.com/40869527363/po…

6. On 2 February 2019 protection was removed from investigative journalist Sandro Ruotolo, who had received death threats from Camorra boss Michele Zagaria. Ruotolo's cousin was killed by Camorra by mistake in 1997 >>
napoli.repubblica.it/cronaca/2019/0…

7. Suspicion was aroused in this case because Ruotolo had just published an investigation into Salvini's social media manager, entitled "The Beast". After protests from journalists'union, public figures & Chair of Parliamentary Antimafia Committee protection was reinstated >>

8. On 18 February 2019 Rocco Mangiardi, who testified against 'ndrangheta protection racket in Lamezia Terme, was informed he would no longer be protected outside Calabria. Thus he cannot continue his educational work in schools & prisons >>
lameziainforma.it/notizia23222/S…

9. On 20 February 2019 remaining protection was removed from Ignazio Cutrò, who testified against a mafia protection racket in construction industry. He had already voluntarily given up personal protection in protest at his family being excluded >>
agrigentonotizie.it/cronaca/ignazi…

10. On 8 April 2019 Giuseppe Antoci, noted for his #antimafia activities, announced that he would not stand for PD in European Elections because his protection, in Place since an attempt on his Life in 2016, "could not be guaranteed outside of Italy".
messina.gazzettadelsud.it/articoli/polit…

11. As Giovanni Falcone said: "The mafia is by no means invincible...but we need to realise that...it can't be defeated by expecting heroism from defenceless citizens, but by deploying the full force of the institutions in the batlle". //ends