This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Remaining 800 residents evacuated from last block still standing at Le Vele di Scampia Two people have died and 13 were injured after the partial collapse of a raised passageway on a building in a dilapidated housing estate on the outskirts of Naples, southern Italy The incident in Scampia occurred late on Monday night on a third-floor walkway at Vela Celeste, the last and most populous of four sail-shaped blocks due to be demolished as part of a redevelopment scheme in the deprived area. Read moreWitnesses described hearing a “tremendous bang” as part of the structure collapsed on to the floors beneath The two victims were named as Roberto Abbruzzo were taken to Santobono hospital in Naples where two were reported to be in a serious condition Firefighters worked through the night to evacuate about 800 residents who had been waiting to be rehoused as part of the ReStart Scampia project Part of a walkway collapsed and fell on to the floors beneath, with witnesses hearing a ‘tremendous bang’, Italian media reported. Photograph: Cesare Abbate/EPAProsecutors in Naples have opened an investigation into the cause of the collapse. “We are deeply saddened by last night’s tragedy,” the Naples mayor, Gaetano Manfredi, said. “Our social services are providing assistance to residents and technicians are completing safety checks. “Now is the time to think about the victims – but I want to reiterate that our redevelopment project will not stop and our commitment to Scampia will be even stronger than before.” The Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, expressed condolences to the victims and their families. Free newsletterA digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day Demolition of the blocks began in 2020 Please enable JavaScript to view this page correctly Demolition of one of the notorious ‘Vele’ (Sails) buildings in the drug-ridden Naples district of Scampia began on Monday was attended by Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi from 46th in 2024 to 49th place in 2025 in the Press Freedom Index drawn up every year by Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders - RSF) Researcher and lecturer Flavia Marcello explores the fascist influence on the architecture of Rome the race for the fourth Champions League qualifying spot from Italy’s Serie A has become even tighter Napoli didn’t allow flares and delays to affect their performance as Antonio Conte’s side ground out a 1-0 win at Lecce to take firm control of Serie A in Italy Fiorentina have lost the first leg of their UEFA Conference League semifinal tie 2-1 away to Real Betis Inter Milan’s Serie A title defence is on the line with the busy champions chasing a fresher Napoli side who have the finishing line in sight Carlo Ancelotti has turned down the Brazil job and is mulling a mega offer to coach Saudi Arabia Spanish sports daily ‘Marca’ said Wednesday British director Ken Loach has blasted plans to tear down much of Milan’s iconic San Siro stadium to make room for a new home for Inter and AC Milan Barcelona and Inter Milan have delivered a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final One of the pillars of Italian culture is the union between music and wine Nicholas ‘Nick’ Renfree-Marks is somewhat of an expert on both your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt A pedestrian walkway in a housing project collapsed in the southern Italian city of Naples which occurred shortly after 10.30 pm on Monday killed a 29-year-old male and a 36-year-old woman as well as injuring several children 800 residents were evacuated from the remaining block after the collapse Local governor Nicola Nardella described it as are currently being treated at the Santobono Hospital in Naples with two in serious condition Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed sorrow after the incident "My condolences go out to the families of the victims together with thoughts of closeness to the injured and their loved ones" recently re-elected president of the European Parliament The city's mayor Gaetano Manfredi has called for an investigation to be made into the incident is known for its poverty and as a site for mafia warfare The site was the fictional setting for a hit series in 2008 titled Gomorrah premised on a book about the Camorra mafia by author Roberto Saviano authorities announced a €18 million regeneration project for the area in order to shake off its reputation for crime The project includes the improvement of common areas and she was the sister of Margherita Della Ragione who died in hospital shortly after the collapse The death toll from the collapse of the balcony at the Vele celeste di Scampia is worsening: Patrizia Della Ragione died today at the Cardarelli hospital where she had been admitted with "precipitation-related polytrauma" The death toll from the tragedy therefore rises to three dead and 13 injured a neighborhood on the northern outskirts of Naples dragging down the two below and "opening" the sail in two who were on the balcony at that moment fell was rescued and taken to hospital where she succumbed to the trauma she suffered All the children were taken under code red to Santobono hospital: Anna two little girls are hospitalized in intensive care were hospitalized between the Ospedale del Mare and the Cardarelli: they are Luisa Abbruzzo In the Cardarelli hospital the following are hospitalized under code red Read also other news on Nova News Click here and receive updates on WhatsApp Follow us on the social channels of Nova News on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Telegram The Scampia district in Naples is part of the city’s Municipality VIII When travelling as a traveller rather than a tourist it can be fascinating to explore the more peripheral areas of a city to gain a more authentic experience and discover all the nuances of a place beyond the more popular and frequently visited spots Here’s what you need to know about Scampia but one that is currently undergoing urban regeneration and its name derives from the fact that people used to go on outings there the local authorities identified this area close to the city and featuring large open spaces and greenery as an ideal location for the creation of a new residential zone The aim was to alleviate congestion in the city centre and meet the growing demand for housing driven in part by a significant population increase the project faltered for a variety of reasons: following the 1980 earthquake particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds and a large migration to Scampia occurred in search of housing while others began to squat in the vacant properties in the neighbourhood This is a residential complex built between 1962 and 1975 despite lacking essential services such as elevators The situation worsened with the arrival of earthquake survivors The original plans for the area were not respected neither in terms of the buildings’ structure nor the layout of the surrounding area The area was intended to feature green spaces coupled with economic and social difficulties contributed to the degradation of the complex Scampia is at the heart of an urban and social redevelopment project many of the buildings in the “Vele” complex have been demolished while others have been renovated through targeted interventions A significant contribution to the regeneration of the area comes from the work of local associations particularly those aimed at young people with a focus on legality these associations are playing a crucial role in the neighbourhood’s revival the new headquarters of the University of Naples Federico II has been inaugurated The headquarters stands where the Vela H once was The average price of properties for sale in the Scampia and Capodichino areas of Naples is €9.39/m² The data in this article refer to February 2025 and were compiled by the experts at Immobiliare.it we see projects that aim to house those with the least resources and they can come in a variety of different forms and sizes a quick look at history tells us of social housing projects that have failed exposing the importance of good design in creating a successful social housing scheme of how frequent maintenance plays a large part in the successful longevity of a scheme and how the lack of adequate care to vulnerable communities by governments can result in housing that harms the very communities it is supposed to shelter and protect Related Article Breaking Down the Stigma Around the Aesthetics of Affordable Housing It is also a reminder that the communities with the least resources deserve continuous conversations that put their needs first Editor's Note: This article was originally published on September 11 You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email The author who chronicled the rise of the crime syndicate in his book Gomorrah says that tearing down tower blocks will not be enough to resurrect Le Vele di Scampia But I’m not celebratingThis article is more than 5 years oldThe author who chronicled the rise of the crime syndicate in his book Gomorrah says that tearing down tower blocks will not be enough to resurrect Le Vele di Scampia some believe that to destroy the symbols of evil or ill-fortune it is sufficient to eradicate that same evil or ill-fortune it suffices to demolish the buildings in a quarter on the outskirts of Naples known as Le Vele – the Sails – di Scampia A neighbourhood that has for years been the largest drug-dealing hotspot in Europe a neighbourhood towards which the state has hardly ever turned its gaze except to arrest the foot-soldiers of its cartel and gang wars and remove the bodies of its dead from the asphalt For those who have never heard of this place I will endeavour to explain in a few simple words what Le Vele are so-called because they were built to resemble the shape of the particular lateen sail (triangular The Vele is a residential complex originally composed of seven buildings so as to recall what they were – and what in part they still are I ask myself: do we really want to remember not only what the Vele have signified but how the territory on which they rose was treated by a state that has ignored its story for so long was it and is it enough for the decent workers and families who live or lived there because the only real cure is long-term policy you need to think about what you want to build next; to think about what balm might soothe the wound Many people outside Naples who have heard of the Vele di Scampia may have done so because they feature in a book I wrote, and a film and a TV series made around it: Gomorrah about the Camorra mafia clans in Naples which took root in Le Vele and effectively took over the estate complex Most of the film and TV series are set among the “sails” But, insist the authorities: “We are not Gomorrah! – we are not the mafia.” However, it is not enough to say “We are not Gomorrah”. It doesn’t work, trying to keep that distance just because 16 years have passed since the bloody mafia feuds across Scampia – part of the war between Camorra clans that made Naples a war zone at the heart of Europe But it does so without anyone having thought about what will happen next TNT will not be used; it would malfunction like it did when they took down the first vela in 1997 It took a powerful second charge to bring it down The mayor at that time was Antonio Bassolino a leftist first citizen who would later be among the founders of the Democratic party The occasion brought the then president of the republic we repeat the initial exercise with the Green Sail there is talk of rebirth of the neighbourhood But the reason for that is because it proclaims the failure of policy to reform neighbourhoods such as Scampia which have been considered for decades the symbol of degradation of negligence by the state and of the overwhelming power of the Camorra clans are not responsible for the evil of Scampia a brilliant architect animated by the architectural spirit of the time the so-called existenzminimum (subsistence dwelling) to try and reduce the interior apartment – where life would take place – to a bare minimum The accommodation was obtained at a limited construction cost and depended on the “outside” as the main space for existence Naples was already like that; it was a symbol of the way the city lived Di Salvo designed Le Vele with the specific aim of reconstructing the spirit of Naples’s famously crowded but congenial alleys and courtyards in an apartment building There would be balconies suspended in the void up which the stairs leading to the apartments climbed; they were like modernist suspended versions of the inner-city’s baroque courtyards and alleyways all you have to do is admire the twin sails of Villeneuve-Loubet on the French Riviera – they are among the most coveted apartments in Europe I hear you say: they are located in a tourist destination the Villeneuve-Loubet project was launched in a degraded area to which a lot of people had to be transplanted in an attempt to revive an abandoned stretch of land urged to immediately feel themselves a community it has been debated whether the housing plan had been “criminogenic” – likely to cause criminal behaviour – like an accomplice of what then became of Scampia Common spaces that should have been built every six floors were omitted The blocks themselves were placed close beside one another in many cases inhibiting natural light in the apartments But these were not the real problems that made Le Vele symbols of degradation and centre of operations for the Camorra There was administrative dysfunction: the municipality started allocating apartments that were not yet completed Then came the earthquake that hit southern Italy in 1980 after which any available housing was occupied by homeless families The arcades of Le Vele turned into squat dwellings with overcrowded and increasingly degraded apartments Then – and only then – came the terrible revolution in criminal strategy of Aniello La Monica enemy of the powerful Nuova Camorra Organizzata – New Organised Camorra – headed by the Capo Raffaele Cutolo La Monica belongs to the Fratellanza Napoletana – Neapolitan Brotherhood – which the media would come to label Nuova Famiglia La Monica was duly assigned Scampia – his place of origin – as a zone of influence There was not much for a mafioso to do in Scampia: there were few shops (La Monica himself kept one named after his favourite gun); the inhabitants had little money Above all there was this: Antoniello had to divide the profits of public construction with the leaders of the clan to which he belonged Marco D’Amore and Salvatore Esposito as Gomorrah’s TV gangsters Photograph: © Beta FilmsBut La Monica realised that the spaces around Le Vele were not narrow alleys where the police could He understood the terrain: that those buildings could become his presidia; and that he could count on hungry and willing manpower to work for a few lire La Monica started by transforming Scampia into a department store for smuggled cigarettes (which could be sold below cost because they evaded state tobacco tax) Then he divided the zones within the estate by assigning each of his men a territory Then La Monica understood that the sale of drugs could be his commercial strength across this large area with labour at almost zero cost and easy control of the territory that overreaching himself would upset the leaders of the New Family And this is where his godson and apparently loyal underling Paolo Di Lauro (they are only about 10 years apart but La Monica effectively adopted Di Lauro) took over Di Lauro and his group of his associates – impatient with La Monica’s caution – decided to rebel and take out the boss but has always been suspected of being its architect He imported cocaine and heroin from South and Central America for sale through a vast network of dealers with control of everything that happened in this ghetto area of ​​Naples among the most prosperous drug markets in the western world Di Lauro imported cocaine and heroin from South and Central America with control of everything that happened in this ghetto area of ​​NaplesThe extreme degradation of Le Vele was thus generating profits from drugs worth billions of lire (and then millions of euros) but the criminal peculiarity of Scampia became that of attracting heroin consumers from all parts of Italy and wholesale drug buyers (which was practically impossible in any other part of Italy unless one entered into a direct relationship with drug traffickers) reviving the Vele had become impossible given the level of devastation and abandonment to which they had been reduced The situation worsened in the mid-2000s: in 2004 and early 2005 there was nearly a murder every day in Le Vele when another – this time open – war broke out across the estate between those loyal to Di Lauro and a dissident faction There is nothing to celebrate in this felling of the buildings Breaking them down does not resolve the causes of the degradation The drug-dealing plazas have moved to Melito (a neighbouring town on the outskirts of Naples) The Camorra has almost stopped shooting in that area because the cartels reached an agreement after a suicidal feud Within 40 days the Vele are to be pulled down Voluntary associations that have sprung up in the area over the years do a wonderful job; volunteers came to the rescue on many occasions that the arrival of companies bringing work for the people here would generate So knocking down the Vele is a symbolic gesture that recalls the failure of a project or rather of several projects: the initial one being to build a new neighbourhood on a human scale and to return these structures to the community by making them become university spaces We forget what Gomorrah really is: Gomorrah is not a mere synonym with Camorra Gomorrah is an economic system wherein everything is missing When infrastructure struggles against a constant lack of funds and resources – that is Gomorrah To be Gomorrah is not just about toting weapons And to not be Gomorrah isn’t simply being outraged and angry To not be Gomorrah means working to find a cure to never stop looking for the antidote to this poison The antidote to Gomorrah means forging a new path politicians are frantic to associate their faces with the demolition Scampia has certainly changed since the years of the feuds The stigma that branded Neapolitans as victims by the negative narrative of their reality is totally false On the contrary: the story of our contradictions has been transformative If Naples had been branded and muddied forever the city would not have so many tourists and passionate visitors today And now there would not be all this international attention for the felling of the Vele It has been the spotlight that enables us to start to understand the elements of the disaster and allowed us to demonstrate the errors of decades of bad policy mismanagement and complicity by of one of the most parasitic bourgeoisies in Italy We’ll celebrate when there really is a reconstruction: for now it is useless to raise a glass to the ruins Translated from the Italian by Ed Vulliamy This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media Sail-shaped towers in Naples were for years a drugs hotspot and scene of mafia wars Bulldozers have begun tearing down one of the four sail-shaped tower blocks in the Scampia housing estate in Naples, one of the biggest drug-dealing centres in Europe and the setting for the Italian TV drama Gomorrah For decades these run-down apartment blocks have been the scene of bloody wars between Camorra clans Local authorities have described the demolition as a historic moment for the city is being employed to raze three of the buildings which were a symbol not only of criminality but also of the failures of Italy’s postwar dream of social housing TV crews from every part of the world descended on Scampia to film the “fall of Gomorrah” former inhabitants observed the destruction of their homes in silence Television crews from every part of the world have descended upon Scampia to film what has been described as the ‘fall of Gomorrah’ Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianFor 30 years the residents were forced into silence by the criminal clans looked upon with indifference by the press and hounded by the police Despite acknowledging the need to raze an uninhabitable area of the city some residents could not hide their sadness as they witnessed the buildings’ demise “It is as if they were demolishing a piece of my life,” said Anna De Martino but this morning he asked me to take the house we had here and bring it to the temporary house where we live today.” Anna De Martino and her grandchild Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianSome inhabitants of the so-called green vela that was bulldozed on Thursday have been transferred to new apartments and others have been temporarily transferred to the only one of the four buildings that will remain standing “I was born and I got married on this vela,” said Rosa Amato Built between 1965 and 1980 by the architect Francesco di Salvo le Vele (the Sails) were designed to replace the slums and squalor of the medieval city centre of Naples Seven apartment blocks were built; three were demolished between 1998 and 2003) The idea was to recreate housing complexes in the outskirts of Naples that would evoke the narrow alleyways of the “old city” to encourage community relations and create infrastructure and green spaces for the poor Di Salvo’s dreams were quickly dashed as funds were siphoned into private pockets Many of the blocks were left unfinished and the alleyways that di Salvo hoped to create were soon transformed into a warren for dealing heroin and evading the police Scampia became Gomorrah and the Vele its fortress Hundreds of people watch the demolition Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianIn 2006 Roberto Saviano wrote a book that would change the history of the Camorra and that of Scampia His revelations of the brutality and business deals of the Neapolitan clans shone an international light on the local mafia a pun on the Camorra and the sinful Biblical city The degradation of the Vele continued to make news around the world when in 2008 Saviano’s book became the subject of a film directed by Matteo Garrone The Vele would become the backdrop for the power struggles of Genny Savastano fictional characters inspired by real criminals the residents of Scampia began to grow tired of the degradation that was synonymous with poverty and organised crime and started campaigning for new apartments to be built “I lived in one of these buildings in Scampia for 20 years and we had enough of all the people who slandered us saying we were the inhabitants of Gomorrah,” said Lorenzo Liparulo one of the leaders of the residents’ association “There are people here who lived with dignity Young residents watch the demolition of the Green Vela Photograph: Alessio Mamo/The GuardianLast year the authorities announced the demolition plans The work was held up when workers found tonnes of asbestos “It is a beautiful day for all of our city and Italy,” said the mayor of Naples at a press conference before the demolition began Time will soon be up for the Vele but in order to destroy the real Gomorrah much more time will be needed For years a banner hanging from one of the buildings read: “When the winds of oppression cease the sails will be unfurled toward happiness.” A new banner hanging from the vela that began to be demolished on Thursday read: “This is only the beginning.” Like Chicago’s notorious Cabrini Green and Pruitt-Igoe in St the troubled existence and failure of modern brutalist architecture is a failure of policy and the failure of society in general; and its fate remains bound up with the fate of many American and world cities from the mid-20th century gang violence and neglect created deplorable living conditions for the residents and “Cabrini-Green” became a metonym for the problems associated with public housing in The United States Such social disasters as Pruitt-Igoe also gave “urban renewal” such a bad name that the term has never again been used to define “urban rebirth” or “urban regeneration.” Like Cabarini Green,” urban renewal” has been relegated to the dust bins of late the 20th-Century Just the mere mention of the name makes even Kafka shutter the same fate awaits for the next demolition of what remains of Le Vele (“Sails of Scampia” in English) in Scampia a suburb in Naples as crews have begun tearing down the infamous Naples housing estate thought to be part of one of the largest drug-dealing centres in Europe Di Salvo’s work was inspired by Le Corbusier’s “Unité d’Habitation” and adopted for what at the time were Italy’s highly innovative compositional solutions and techniques in architecture and urban planning The project was built on the northern outskirts of Naples between 1962 and 1975 to provide homes for residents decanted from the medieval city center It was named for the triangular-shaped buildings as they are wide at the base and narrowing as they rise The design followed the housing unit principles articulated by Le Corbusier for the design of public housing Di Salvo was also influenced by the trestle structures proposed by Kenzō Tange which was based on two building types: a “tower” and a “tent.” The “tent” type provides the dominant impression of sails The buildings were designed following the idea of “existenzminimum” (subsistence dwelling): the dwellings with many shared exterior spaces where life would take place Di Salvo wanted housing that would reconstruct the spirit of ancient Naples and evoke the historic alleyways and courtyards of the old city with added green spaces Some of the blocks were left unfinished and to deteriorate the complex consisted of seven massive apartment blocks and the project housed up to 40,000 to 70,000 people When many families were made homeless by the 1980 earthquake in Irpinia they started to squat in the Sails and the housing complex fell into decline because it was totally abandoned by the State Crime rates soared as the Di Salvo’s uniquely designed internal alleyways and corridors were taken over by heroin dealers and Italian-styled gang bangers the four tower blocks of Le Vele reached international fame as the setting for the film “Gomorrah,” directed by Matteo Garrone and centered on the book by Robert Saviano The film was based on the activities of the Camorra crime group and stripped away the romantic qualities of what you expect from the mob and delivered an intense picture that was raw using the Sails as an appropriate backdrop and ugly housing complex was also the battleground of rival crime clans in real life In order to solve the blight of “social problems,” Le Vele was slated for demolition; three of the “Sails” were knocked down in 2016 and replaced by undistinguished apartment buildings without providing any improvements to the community social services The demolition of the remainder of Le Vele stopped when vast amounts of asbestos were discovered there was no second chance for one of the rare examples of Italian brutalist landmark architecture Eduardo Borrelli and Aldo di Chio owners of the Naples-based firm Vulcanica Architettura state: “knocking down Le Vele is like burning witches in the town square; it doesn’t address the underlying social problems and is purely and simply ‘window dressing’ where shoddy building replaces architecture that tried to think big.” requires too much time and too much effort remaining residents began moving into new apartments built nearby now billed as the “final fall of Gomorrah,” is being achieved with the help of bulldozers and a 45m-tall hydraulic claw crane At a press conference before the demolition began said: “For years this area has been equated with ‘Gomorrah,’ but it is not so.” “There has been struggle and dignity of the citizens of Scampia and a new page of collaboration between the government and the administration has begun.” the spokesperson for the Le Vele Committee commented: “Le Vele represented a negative brand Excerpted from a larger text by Architecture Critic Input your search keywords and press Enter You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/ Wanted in RomeMagazine Naples authorities on Monday embarked on a project to demolish one of the Vele housing blocks that have become notorious symbols of urban decay and organised crime in the southern Italian city in the drug-ridden Scampia suburb to the north of the city took place in the presence of Naples mayor Gaetano Manfredi who hailed it as "a truly beautiful day" Built between 1962 and 1975 as part of the seven-building Vele (Sails) residential complex, the Vela Gialla formed the backdrop to the hit TV show Gomorrah based on Roberto Saviano's book about the Naples-based Camorra mafia Four of the seven Vele blocks were demolished between 1997 and 2020 including Vela Celeste where three people died and 11 were injured after a walkway collapsed last July An investigation into the tragedy is ongoing The demolition operation is part of a major urban regeneration project to replace six of the Vele whose sail-like design by Italian architect Franz Di Salvo was inspired by the pioneering Swiss-French architect and designer Le Corbusier Naples will build 12 new residential buildings to replace the six Vele blocks being demolished with the Vela Celeste to undergo renovation works instead of being torn down Le Vele di Scampia photographed on the day of the demolition of the Vela Verde Photo credit: Valerio brignola / Shutterstock.com Wanted in Rome ™ is member of the Wanted World Wide Ltd network.Click here to find out more about our Network or Follow us on social networks © 2025 / 2026 Wanted World Wide LTD Network which has little fiction and a lot of reality music and all the paraphernalia of cinema but the story is that of Gianni Maddaloni If you have the chance to meet him one day the Gold of Scampia for those who do not speak italian the man who has spent forty years helping his neighbours in the poorest and probably most dangerous neighbourhood of Naples a place that inspired other films and series’ that mostly focus on the bad guys but Maddaloni is just as simple as his legend is a giant and he is the good guy in a disadvantaged land contaminated by unemployment Gianni is the tree that endures in the midst of the storm the voluntary pillar of a society that sometimes surrenders without a fight Gianni can boast of having taken the most disadvantaged off the streets transmitting values and even teaching them to defend themselves and to understand judo as a healthy practice and a school of life If there is someone who deserves a Nobel Peace Prize or whatever exists He stands up to bring hope to the whole Scampia community The Gold of Scampia is his story and the film is worth watching and since we are promoting it it would be a good idea to take a look at the documentary dedicated to Gianni Maddaloni that belongs to the series ‘Judo for the World,’ produced by the International Judo Federation This one is real with Gianni as the protagonist and where he speaks of everything he does and why because one is real and the other is the product of reality In both you’ll discover what dedication and self-sacrifice mean and that courage still has significance which reflects what the whole world could become without values is still living in Scampia and is still active to transmit his love for judo to the young ones whose adventure is an important part of the film really became an Olympic champion in 2000 in Sydney and that he is now one of the IJF Refereeing Supervisors attending most of the World Judo Tour events The reality after all is that when we talk about ‘judo family’ it has a true meaning when it comes to Maddaloni & Co beyond giving the ok on the television remote control is to understand how one's will can move mountains and when that will is aimed at the service of good it would be a shame to pass by without paying attention because the history of Gianni and Scampia is the history of the world as we have built it 2025 / With Dushanbe already packed away in our recent memory 2025 / What can we learn from the 2024 edition of the Dushanbe .. 2025 / This is a final category that everyone always looks .. 2025 / We've been saying it since the beginning of the tournament: .. 2025 / When you've already won the Paris Grand Slam in February .. 2025 / The competition was a bit strange for the tournament's .. 2025 / European champion in 2024 and a third-place finisher .. the world judo capital is in Tajikistan .. 2025 / One of the national judo heroes in Tajikistan is Somon .. 2025 / Lara Cvjetko (CRO) is far from unknown 2025 / The benefits for the host country of a World Judo Tour .. 2025 / Her sixth-place in the world ranking is proof that .. 2025 / The Dushanbe Grand Slam is unlike any other event 2018 / The next reigning world champion to be invited to answer .. 2018 / Highlights from Hohhot Grand Prix 2018 2018 / 'Society should believe in sport as a beneficial cause .. NAPLES — Four triangular housing blocks known as the Sails of Scampia are a blemish on Naples’ northern skyline but locals treat plans to demolish the crime-ridden slums as they do any promise to breathe life into Italy’s ailing south — with deep skepticism Thanks to Roberto Saviano’s bestselling book “Gomorrah” — and subsequent film and TV series — the tenements are known worldwide as a hotbed for drugs Last month the city council announced an ambitious €58 million plan to tear down three of the decaying buildings and convert the fourth into offices The aim is partly symbolic — to destroy the decaying estate that lies at the heart of the depraved suburb of Scampia But Neapolitans aren’t holding their breath “The citizens don’t have any faith in the government anymore,” says Andrea Cozzolino an MEP for the Campania region from the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) Roberto Saviano’s bestseller “Gomorrah” brought international attention to the Naples slum | Christophe Simon/AFP via Getty Images “They have seen other regeneration projects in Naples stall for as many as 25 years amid various controversies which is why it’s so important the buildings come down quickly,” he adds Redeveloping problem areas of Italy’s impoverished south has become a hot-button issue for the Italian government Prime Minister Matteo Renzi wants to unblock stalled public works and provide investment to stop areas like this from being condemned to permanent social and economic stagnation The suburb is one of the poorest and most disadvantaged in Italy Teachers estimate three in 10 children fail to finish high school while the unemployment rate is a staggering 62 percent “Any attempts to improve Scampia must start with the Sails’ demolition,” says Mario Trifuoggi, a 30-year-old sociologist who studies the Camorra — the Neapolitan mafia “Those buildings are so charged with negative sentiment and are a symbol not just of the Camorra but of the repeated failure of authorities to provide any meaningful development in the area,” he says Local authorities are confident demolition work will get underway in early 2017 and say they are “working tirelessly” with local residents on plans to improve Scampia But the inhabitants of the Sails tell a different story The corridors inside the Sails of Scampia | Mario Laporta/AFP via Getty Images “The state has abandoned us here,” says Maria between puffs of a cigarette in her small but impeccably clean kitchen on the fifth floor of one of the Sails Maria has called the estate her home for the last 38 years and her three sons and eight grandchildren all live in the same building Her family is among the 1,500 official tenants left on the estate which is now half derelict following a series of bloody mob wars which ended in 2008 when the Camorra began to move out of the area While there are only a handful of legitimate tenants left there are plenty more illegal squatters who have moved into empty apartments and live among the rubbish In one building’s internal courtyard plastic bottles and broken furniture bob on a stagnant pond of foul-smelling water sandwiched between two derelict apartments a tenant has hung their washing out to dry and residents hung a banner reading “Dignity can’t be evicted!!” | Filippo Monteforte/AFP via Getty Images “We shouldn’t have to live like this,” Maria adds Even though Maria’s home is well-kept and welcoming it is riddled with structural problems that make her life a misery The ceiling of her living room is a blotted mass of black fungus and the hallway wall contains a large crack which we breathe every day,” says Maria’s 23-old-son Marcello “The entire building is like this and I have to raise my two children here.” “If the council wants to move in here they are welcome,” he laughed “Then they can live here and get sick instead of us.” Maria and her family should all be moved into newly-built accommodation nearby “I’ll believe it when I see it,” she scoffs “This type of talk has been going on for decades Much of the area around the Sails appear in shambles | Mario Laporta/AFP via Getty Images The citizens of the Sails have every reason to be cynical A plan to demolish the estate was first launched in the 1990s but fell apart in 2003 due to funding problems after three of the original seven housing blocks had been demolished the area around the Sails had become the biggest black market in Naples and the entire region was under mafia control Italy’s track record of seeing development projects through isn’t great there were some 868 failed development projects in Italy including a redevelopment project launched in the industrial eastern suburb of Bagnoli the government announced plans to turn the suburb into a tourish hub but after a €300 million outlay and a string of mafia-related construction scandals the area is today filled with a string of padlocked building sites Police officers search for drugs inside the Sails of Scampia in 2013 | Mario Laporta/AFP via Getty Images While the Sails’ tenants are doubtful that the plans will ever come to fruition leaders of local anti-mafia movements have expressed concern over the local government’s ability to realize a project that will be of concrete value to the people of Scampia “The reason Camorra flourished here in the first place is because they filled a vacuum created by the city’s poor planning,” explains Ciro Corona the 35-year-old founder of grassroots anti-mafia association (R)esistenza Many credit the council’s decision to build an estate capable of housing more than 1,300 families in an area where there were no jobs supermarkets or even cinemas as the main reason the area became such a hotbed for mafia activity But it wasn’t just the location of the project that represented poor planning The architectural design chosen for the Sails is also said to have helped criminality flourish Each building’s interior is a complex 16-storey labyrinth of iron walkways and stairwells which run between apartments each Sail is linked up to a set of underground garages which make them perfect places for stashing stolen goods or evading police capture 120 grassroots associations like (R)esistenza have sprung up across the Scampia,” Corona explains All of them are trying to fill the vacuum left by the state by promoting social and urban regeneration across the suburb in order to break the cycle of poverty the founder of a grassroots anti-mafia organization says but I think the Sails will still be here in a decade.” | Mario Laporta/AFP via Getty Images Corona is in the process of converting a 2,000-square-meter abandoned school into a multi-purpose space for the local community music school and sports center have set up shop inside it took him six months just to collect all the discarded syringes from building’s floor but I think the Sails will still be here in a decade,” Corona says “But let’s say they tear three down and turn the last one over to public use — then what We need a clear plan for the rest of the land.” all kinds of suggestions have been made for how best to reuse the land on which the buildings stand from building a gigantic hypermarket to a new football stadium for local football team A.S All of which Corona considers “terrible” ideas arguing that any future development must directly address the needs of the community “I would suggest they do something to encourage local entrepreneurs and small businesses but plans are being drawn up and we don’t feel involved.” Also On POLITICO Corleone city council sacked over mafia ties By Hortense Goulard London sees a potential energy bonanza that could replace fading gas output from the North Sea Filippo Sensi is called the Alastair Campbell to Italy’s Tony Blair Anti-establishment party’s failure to run Rome hurts its chances of getting rid of Matteo Renzi The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden The incident occurred around 10.30pm, killing 29-year-old Roberto Abbruzzo instantly, according to local media reports A 35-year-old woman died shortly after being admitted to hospital due to severe trauma injuries were injured in the collapse and rushed to Naples’ Santobono paediatric hospital Two of them were reported as being in serious condition after suffering head injuries and fractures The exact circumstances of the incident were not immediately clear on Tuesday morning but local media said a fourth-floor balcony in the Vela Celeste public housing complex collapsed due to structural failure causing a “chain reaction” that involved at least two of the balconies right below evacuating the building with the support of mobile aerial ladders A total of 800 residents were evacuated overnight according to Il Corriere di Napoli Local authorities were working on Tuesday morning to secure the area and provide assistance to those who were displaced Naples Prefect Michele Di Bari activated the rescue coordination centre protocol immediately after the incident Di Bari and Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi conducted an on-site inspection and coordinated the emergency response efforts overnight The Public Prosecutor's Office in Naples opened an official investigation into the collapse on Tuesday, according to newswire Adnkronos Italian PM Giorgia Meloni said on social media platform X on Tuesday morning that she was "saddened by what happened last night with the collapse of the balcony in the Vela Celeste," extending her condolences "to the families of the victims alongside a thought of closeness to the injured and their loved ones" Meloni also thanked local emergency services for their prompt intervention Addolorata per quanto accaduto ieri notte con il crollo del ballatoio nella Vela Celeste nel quartiere di Scampia a Napoli nel quale sono morte 2 persone e altre 13 sono rimaste ferite In questo momento di dolore il mio cordoglio va alle famiglie delle… Italy's Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci also expressed his condolences on Tuesday morning, saying he was "close to the families of the victims of the Scampia collapse" and wishing a "speedy recovery to the 13 injured" "Last night's tragedy [...] raises the widespread and unsolved problem of the state of disrepair of the building stock in several Italian cities and the need to accelerate every process of urban regeneration," he added The Vela Celeste is one of the last remaining public housing buildings in the Scampia district, northern Naples, following the demolition of other Vele ('Sails') structures in recent years Its unusually shaped concrete buildings became a national symbol of urban degradation following the 2008 release of hit film Gomorrah based on a bestselling book by Naples-born writer and journalist Roberto Saviano local administration announced an 18-million-euro urban regeneration plan for Scampia which included extensive renovation of the Vela Celeste building Please log in here to leave a comment Deep in the heart of Campania, Italy, there is a community of Femminielli, an ancient example of gender fluidity that lives on through tradition. Taking their name from the combination of femmina (female) and -ello (masculine diminutive suffix), the Femminiello have long been honoured in Neapolitan culture Historically believed to bring good luck, the Femminielli once held a relatively privileged position in Catholic culture. Drawn to the intersection of gender non-conformity, religion and culture, British filmmaker and photographer Jess Kohl embarked on Queens of Scampia an ongoing series looking at the diversity of gender and sexuality across the region and questioning if historic liberal attitudes toward queerness continue to thrive Kohl speaks about the ways in which a sense of belonging can help us exist in harmony within ourselves and with one another gender nonconformity and strong cultural traditions are uniquely present and exist in harmony nonbinary people were accepted and celebrated – I was interested to find out if these attitudes still existed “I wanted to explore if these historic attitudes of openness had trickled down through generations and helped to create an attitude of tolerance meeting individuals from across the queer spectrum – from non-binary youth in the city centre I felt particularly drawn to the Scampia community – there’s a strong sense of pride here which continues to thrive in the face of hardship but I felt very safe being here with this community because they are respected “It’s important that the work I make is collaborative and that the communities I document want to be seen there’s a glamour associated with having your photo taken The people I photographed would suggest different iconic locations in the area for us to shoot and they were very open about their life experiences and welcomed me into their homes Many of the people I met here work in ‘entertainment’ hosting Tombola (bingo) nights and drag shows This seems to be true to queer communities globally; I think being placed in the role of entertainer is a way for the mainstream to pigeonhole queerness – if it exists to entertain them “This was an initial research trip to Campania and I feel like I’ve just begun to scratch the surface of the history and tradition of femminielli culture and how it’s bled into modern day attitudes in the region how it differs between the city and countryside the acclaimed writer has lived in fear for his life following publication of his exposé on the criminal gangs The Observer takes a trip back to Naples with him and his minders On a Friday in autumn 2006, local newspapers and prosecutors in Italy’s south-western region of Campania received the same anonymous letter. Computer-typed and delivered by hand in the early morning, it detailed the Neapolitan Mafia’s plan to execute a 26-year-old Italian writer. His name was Roberto Saviano and his book, Gomorrah a devastating denunciation of the Camorra’s criminal activity refers to a meeting held in a betting office in Casal di Principe known as some of the most violent in the Camorra saying that his murder would take place “when the waters are calm” The letter stated that Saviano “must be punished” that the bosses knew where his mother lived that they’d been following him for weeks and that two hitmen had already been commissioned to murder him It explained that “the weapons that will be used for the execution have already been placed” in an associate’s house It concluded with a threat in bold type and underlined: “If he shuts up Saviano in Castel Volturno where six young African men were murdered by the Camorra in 2008 Photograph: Roberto Salomone/The ObserverSince then he has not spent more than a few nights in the same place take a stroll in busy places or go to the sea I visited him on a recent Monday in a minuscule apartment in Rome while another remains on guard at the entrance The first thing you notice are the thousands of books that line the walls seem to represent the man of letters forced to live like a prisoner and his face is tense – the consequences of a life lived Sometimes I’ve even thought that dying would be better than living like this Death would be more acceptable than this constant pressure the state of anxiety and emptiness in which I’ve been living for so long.” Fifteen years under police escort is a milestone and three armoured vehicles and seven policemen await us downstairs the Observer will accompany Saviano on a road trip from Rome to Naples He left as a young man and returns as the most famous living Italian writer and international symbol of the anti-mafia struggle – hated by the right for his pro-refugee pronouncements and by some of his fellow citizens who accuse him of having tainted the image of his home territory which was the same as taking God’s name in vainRoberto SavianoWe set off in the first armoured vehicle “When I wrote Gomorrah, I knew I was writing stories that many reporters already knew,” says Saviano, who last week launched a graphic novel about his life illustrated by Israeli comic book artist Asaf Hanuka “But I also knew those stories had never received an anthropological interpretation I knew I had something literary in my hands But I never could’ve imagined what would happen next.” After Gomorrah was published Saviano started to receive mysterious phone calls: the phone would ring Then the threatening letters started arriving his mother found in her mailbox a photo of Saviano with a gun pointed at his temple: above was written “sentenced” during an anti-mafia rally in Casal di Principe a town where it’s said there are more guns than forks Saviano challenged the bosses from the stage inciting the crowd to rise up against the clan who made a plan to assassinate the writer in an attack on Christmas day which was the same as taking God’s name in vain” the Camorra was planning to kill Saviano in a spectacular blast reminiscent of the 1992 Capaci massacre when the Sicilian mafia killed the anti-mafia magistrate Giovanni Falcone and the members of his police escort with 300kg of dynamite that left a crater on the motorway near Palermo The authorities took the threats seriously “At first I thought I’d be under protection for two or three days and that soon I’d be able to go back to my normal life.” He looks out of the window as we race past the so-called “Land of Fire”, an area in the countryside of the province of Caserta, where the Camorra buried tons of toxic waste beneath roads and land “I realised that the situation was more serious than I thought when [the police] took me to a secure location on a remote island They put me in a house that was only accessible by sea and to make calls a police agent had to ferry me out to sea.” Saviano on the beach of Castel Volturno He has lived under police protection for 15 years Photograph: Roberto Salomone/The ObserverUnder such tight security Saviano asks the agents to pull over at a motorway service station so he can use the bathroom Two men alight from one car and check that the bathroom is secure while the other agents remain outside to guard the door “The price I’ve paid is higher than anything I could have imagined,” says Saviano “But what really bothers me is seeing my family have to move from town to town I feel guilty every day of my life for this.” several European countries have offered Saviano protection including a Scandinavian country which offered him asylum Saviano would be required to give up his fight against organised crime: no more interviews “I’ve thought long about leaving Italy,” he admits I was committed to changing the status quo Saviano has attempted to live a normal life “Even when I was abroad, in some countries I was forced to live under police guard,” he says. “At a certain point I was being transferred to cities I didn’t even know existed. One of the days I felt the freest in years was in London, when I met Julian Assange I went from the airport to the city centre by myself They were chosen at random to send a message to the African drug gangs The massacre inspired the episode African Blood in the first season of the TV series Gomorrah Saviano hadn’t been to Castel Volturno for years The escort vehicles stop at the ruins of an abandoned tourist village We decide to stretch our legs along the beach Two additional armoured vehicles join our escort to accompany us to the Vele. Saviano gets out briefly – just enough time to have a quick chat with the officers at the police station in Scampia and leave in haste. He isn’t well liked around here. On the walls of the neighbourhood are written slogans like “Scampia is not Gomorrah”. It’s not only the bosses who don’t like his presence here; many residents have expressed their displeasure. if the state has intervened to rid the quarter of several mafiosi it’s also because Saviano brought attention to the place While Saviano can count on millions of supporters he is also the target of thousands of haters the majority of whom accuse him of having earned millions of euros by tarnishing Naples And there are those who argue that Saviano does not need an escort; that if the Camorra had really wanted to kill him The far-right ex-minister of the interior, Matteo Salvini, threatened to remove Saviano’s escort after the writer attacked him for his anti-immigration policies ‘‘Many people have forgotten how this story began and why I am under escort today,’’ says Saviano “Many think being under escort is a privilege Some people even see the escort as a sign of success Salman Rushdie who was forced into hiding after receiving death threats over his novel The Satanic Verses said when he met Saviano in 2008 at the Nobel Academy in Sweden: “People blame me for being alive – to keep going to parties or to write books They will blame you for your life.” “For the people I am a martyr who is not dead,” Saviano says It might have been better if they had killed me I feel like everything I’ve fought for has been for nothing It happens when you feel you cannot free yourself from this life condemning the mafia men who had threatened me.” I’ve paid a high price. But what really bothers me is seeing my family have to move from town to townRoberto SavianoLast May, judges ruled that a Camorra mafia boss, Francesco Bidognetti, and his lawyer had threatened Saviano’s life and that of a journalistic colleague – Rosaria Capacchione It was a landmark ruling – the first time someone had been held accountable for Saviano’s plight As our journey draws to a close at the foot of Vesuvius and with the beauty of Naples unfolding before us Saviano says: ‘‘I should have celebrated that ruling The boss who condemned me to this life was finally sentenced I was only 26 when they sentenced me to a life under armed guard all the beautiful things you have done in your life flash by you I relived everything I have not been able to do in the last 15 years.’’ A smile that seems to hide his anger; a smile that reminds me of the final line of Gomorrah: “Damned bastards Famous as the setting for the hit film and TV series Gomorrah the towers of Le Vele became synonymous with poverty and organised crime – until residents took charge my skin crawls with rage,” says Omero Benfenati narrow passageway framed by suspended steel stairways that block the natural light and lead up to abandoned apartments and liquid leaks from split pipes on to the sewage and refuse-strewn asphalt several storeys below “We used to play down there,” says Benfenati “The uncollected rubbish bags make ideal goalposts for five-a-side football.” Just a few years ago, Le Vele – a sprawling housing estate in Scampia, on the outskirts of Naples – was both the fictional location for the hit crime film and Italian TV series Gomorrah and the real-life location for the biggest international drugs and arms supermarket in western Europe Their fight for control of the drug trade raged for almost a year At its zenith it saw more than a murder per day and more syringes per square mile in northern Naples than in all of Italy combined marks a new chapter for the beleaguered estate with the announcement that authorities will finally tear down the distinctive sail-shaped tower blocks the effort to demolish the buildings has been led by the residents themselves Le Vele campaigners unveiled a red banner which read: “The fight has been won De Magistris declared the demolition a “victory for Naples” and dedicated it to “the inhabitants of Le Vele who never lost hope or dignity” some of whom have already moved into new purpose-built apartments nearby this week marks the culmination of a long struggle against politicians which transformed the buildings into a common shorthand for Italy’s socials ills and criminality Suspended walkways and staircases block the lights in much of Le Vele while refuse piles up and sewage drips from poorly maintained pipes Photograph: Roberto SalomoneBut the demolition also marks the symbolic failure of Italy’s postwar dream of social housing Built between 1965 and 1980 by the Neapolitan architect Franz di Salvo Le Vele was meant to replace the slums and squalor of the medieval city centre was operating in the spirit of the case per tutti The seven blocks (three have since been demolished) each to house between 210 and 240 families were to fulfil the role of the traditional neighbourhood with a central backbone walkway running through the heart of each tower to encourage community relations but we had no choice but to live hereOmero Benfenati“They hoped the corridors would recreate the vicoletti Napoletani – the backstreets of Naples’ old centre,” says Antonio Memoli an architect who has supported the residents corners were cut and funds were siphoned into private pockets.” the tower blocks closer together and the proposed transport links and social spaces non-existent The effect was to isolate hundreds of the city’s most destitute families without access to work in a vast concrete slum Omero Benfenati Behind him to the left are some of the new housing blocks built for the departing residents Photograph: Roberto SalomoneMany of the blocks were left unfinished and when a huge earthquake struck in 1980 hundreds of refugees squatted the empty flats “The buildings were never finished but we had no choice but to live here,” says Benfenati pointing to an empty shaft with a nine-storey drop into a dark void where lifts were meant to be installed but never materialised Growing up in Le Vele meant an unconventional childhood: games invented using the uncollected rubbish bags; hide-and-seek in the stairwells It also meant navigating the drug addicts who would queue up in the basements to collect heroin and avoiding the discarded needles on the grass A child in Le Vele and empty lift shafts were a treacherous hazard Photograph: Roberto Salomone“But we also learnt to cohabit with the drug addicts and drug dealers,” says Anna Liparulo whose father Lorenzo is an active member of the residents’ association “If we minded our business the Camorra left us alone but they would also deliver food packages to those in need.” There is no refurbishment plan or amount of money that will improve Le VeleLorenzo LiparuloThe residents’ relationship to the Camorra organised crime groups who dominated Le Vele is complicated Benfenati says most of his peers died in the clan wars But with unemployment rates in Scampia lingering at 70% there are often few ways to make a living other than working in the black market economy the residents campaigned to stay in their flats forming a support group called Il Comitato Vele “A battle broke out between poor people desperate for somewhere to live and the institutions,” says Benfenati But over time they began to realise just how squalid their home really was – damp abandoned by state services and haunted by crime – and began campaigning for new apartments to be built instead “There is no refurbishment plan or amount of money that will improve Le Vele,” says Lorenzo Liparulo “The external walls were built only 12cm thick meaning condensation creates thick layers of mould inside the flats.” He remembers saving a three-year-old from crawling into the empty lift shaft local hero Vittorio Passeggio – who would use a megaphone to shout between the towers: “What does Scampia want which became the slogan of the protesters – confronted Francesco Cossiga The meeting eventually led to an agreement to build several replacement apartment blocks But the process of legally recognising the 926 families and then actually moving forward with the first demolitions would take another two decades of protests Among the defenders of Le Vele were many architects who argued that the buildings were important examples of modernism The company contracted to maintain the blocks failed to do any work – and was eventually indicted for embezzlement of state funds. Photograph: Roberto SalomoneMeanwhile, in the absence of services it was the Comitato that became a de facto state. It documented the residents, mediated relationships between them and helped the unemployed find work. “We knew we were selling our soul to the devil allowing Gomorrah to be filmed here,” says Lorenzo who helped negotiate with the producers on behalf of the residents But it was an opportunity they could not afford to give up The production company paid for some building maintenance and employed residents to clean and act as runners and extras used Gomorrah money to block the entrances to the lift shafts and to buy strip lighting for the stairwells This week’s announcement means the show will soon have to find somewhere else to film All the original 926 families have now moved into new apartments which the Comitato helped design in order to avoid the mistakes of the original and one Le Vele tower will be preserved for posterity A family prepares to leave Le Vele ahead of its demolition Photograph: Roberto SalomoneLorenzo has just finished moving his family to their new apartment It’s in a low-rise building with shops on the ground floor and plenty of well-kept green space two bathrooms and a living room bathed in light His old flat in Le Vele is now empty except a bottle of bleach the smell of damp and red graffiti reading: “Thank you home for all the memories Many of the residents have similarly mixed feelings “Nothing will compare to life in Le Vele,” says Maria Tavano one of Liparulo’s old neighbours who frequently drops by “We do miss our community,” says Anna Liparulo who wears a silver charm in the shape of one of the Vele buildings which her mother made for her as a memento One block of Le Vele will be preserved for posterity as an example of modernist architecture has now set its sights on improving the urban environment more broadly: its Restart Scampia programme has won funding to campaign for better transport links “Scampia wants everything,” repeats Lorenzo “We now have a lift – and only three floors to climb if it breaks down.” Italy (Reuters) - Bulldozers started work on Thursday demolishing a crime-riddled crumbling housing estate on the outskirts of Naples notorious for its links to the local mafia.Mechanical diggers ripped into the facade of one of the concrete tower blocks in the Scampia neighbourhood that was a nerve centre of Italy's illegal drug trade and inspired the 2014 hit TV series "Gomorrah".The housing project was built in the 1960s and 1970s and became synonymous with poverty and violence in Italy's underdeveloped south as clan warfare raged through its narrow corridors and bleak stairways."Hopefully we will now be given a future we always want things to improve for our children," said Vincenzo Montagna 80% of us are honest," he said.Looking to highlight the plight of the isolated suburb to "convert to love and justice and return to honesty."Three of the original towers were torn down almost 20 years ago City authorities have now decided to raze three more blocks which will be turned into public offices.The demolished areas will undergo urban regeneration schools and low-rise housing planned.But not everyone was happy to see the brutalist buildings ripped down."I am really sad," said Vittoria Esposito but they see this as a funeral."Reporting by Reuters TV; Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Helen Popper Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved A view of the Neapolitan suburb of Scampia notorious for drug wars and battles between rival Camorra mafia factions Soon after the coronavirus hit Italy, a parody video of the Naples mafia showing a bunch of guys with shaved heads meeting in an empty lot to make a deal "I got a new business in my hands," one says "Who gives a s*** about cocaine?" the first thug says The new commodity — hand sanitizer — is "transparent gold." Six weeks later, Italians are not laughing. As they mourn a spiraling number of dead, nearly the entire economy is shut down. Hardest hit are the estimated 3.5 million people who work off the books A report by Europol, the European Union police agency, warns that "the pandemic has opened up a business opportunity for predatory criminals" in counterfeit masks pharmaceuticals and fake coronavirus tests prosecutors warn that mafia groups are aiming higher — using the pandemic to cement their power As Italian families run out of cash, there have been incidents of social unrest. A phone video shared on social media shows a man and his mother beating on a bank's doors in the southern city of Bari Organized crime will exploit this growing desperation, warns Francesco Lo Voi "The mafias always gravitate toward money," he says "and they're constantly trying to improve their image in the eyes of ordinary citizens." For example, says Calabria-based anti-mafia investigator Nicola Gratteri bosses have been delivering free food to needy families since the outbreak began "The mafia boss presents himself as a benefactor," he says "By providing a guy with 300 euros' worth of groceries the guy and his whole family will vote the way the mafioso wants them to." organized crime can pump cash into businesses on the brink of bankruptcy swallow them up and use them to launder profits from drugs and trafficking The government has earmarked up to $380 billion in emergency aid for businesses — but with Italy's notorious red tape Mafia groups — particularly the powerful and brutal 'Ndrangheta based in Calabria — have spread throughout Europe Magistrates stress that organized crime is adept in taking advantage of crises and sudden historical changes They tell the tale of a wiretapped call the day after the Berlin Wall fell in which a mafioso in Sicily told his Berlin contact to rush to the East and buy everything possible — restaurants a professor at Pavia University and expert on the 'Ndrangheta says other European economies are more vulnerable to criminal infiltration than Italy's "Because they have no perception of the danger," he explains "and therefore don't have suitable legislation like our law that makes mafia association a crime in itself." Italian author Roberto Saviano — put under police escort after receiving threats for his books on organized crime — says mafia business transactions are not handled by thugs packing heat "It'll be the mob's white-collar financial consultant who sees a good deal to get access to the legitimate business owner's bank account," he says Magistrates also talk about a more recent wiretapped call: "In our business we no longer need to know how to shoot," one boss tells another "just how to move our index finger on a computer keyboard." Become an NPR sponsor The investigations were entrusted to the policemen of the local police station to whom the young man allegedly said he was hit while driving his car on the Via Roma artery was transferred to the Cardarelli hospital in Naples where he is hospitalized with a reserved prognosis The investigations were entrusted to the policemen of the local police station to whom the young man allegedly said he was hit while he was driving his car on the artery of Via Roma “I want these images to feel really empowering and celebratory,” says Jess Kohl of her ongoing project documenting trans and gender-nonconforming individuals in Scampia The photographer and director has been working on the series for the last two years with the intention of creating a feature-length documentary on the community in the Naples suburb “It’s become quite sprawling in its themes,” she explains a series of photographs go on show in an exhibition entitled Anime Salve The area of Campania and Neapolitan culture has a history of celebrating gender-nonconforming individuals stretching back to people known as ‘femminielli’ men who chose to traditionally feminine ways of expressing their gender idenitities The acceptance of the ‘femminielli’ interested Kohl who has explored what the trans and gender-nonconforming community in Scampia face today “I always seek to work with subjects where there is a common desire to tell their stories – without this projects can feel quite unfulfilling and self seeking,” she explains I have a certain kinship with different pockets of LGBT communities globally which allows me to immerse myself deeper into projects.”  Kohl chose to draw on the area’s history of admiration for the ‘femminielli’ she likens her photographs to depictions of religious icons in Naples there are many shrines dedicated to certain saints mixed in with photographs of deceased loved ones,” she explains textures and compositions of these images are intended to reflect that – to immortalise these individuals and celebrate them in the way they would have been historically appreciated in Campania.” Here the suburb of Scampia’s unique recent history and the present day reality of the queer community that lives there “I was first drawn to Napoli after finding out about the the history of the ‘femminielli’ one of the oldest examples of what is now known as non-binary celebrated in the Campania region since the 19th century I wanted to find out if these historically liberal attitudes towards gender nonconformity had bled into modern Neapolitan society I met gender-nonconforming individuals from all over the city but the individuals I felt most compelled by where a group of older trans women living in Scampia a ‘bedroom suburb’ in the far north of Naples I was particularly drawn to Alessia and Amalia a trans woman and her mother living high up in a tower block in the area and have spent the last couple of years returning to spend time with them and document their relationship “Scampia was built in the 1960s and 70s as a kind of utopian housing project with huge tower blocks constructed in the shape of sails and with walkways that were meant to reflect the communal streets of the old Spanish Quarters in the centre of the city When the great earthquake happened in the 1980s many people were displaced and began squatting the buildings before they were meant to be habitable and became a breeding ground for drugs and crime attitudes towards queer people were accepting in Campania – and this has bled into modern society in certain ways – over time queer people have been pushed to the margins and this is why I found a community of trans women living in Scampia geographically isolated from the mainstream “I first visited to meet Carmen, one of the people in my series, at her home. I was familiar with the area from seeing the film Gomorrah years ago but I hadn’t travelled there intentionally to seek it out so it was really breathtaking to see these huge Brutalist buildings suddenly dominating the landscape and the residents are quite divided on their feelings towards them They have housed so much trauma in their walls yet many people grew up here and have fond childhood memories Scampia is usually sensationalised for crime and drugs in the media and I wanted to offer an alternative perspective on the area – to show humanistic universal relationships and experiences instead “Representing communities outside of my own always comes with different sets of challenges and a courtesy of care to the people whose lives and homes I’m entering and as a result the images feel more intimate and less staged This is true for the photographs I have made of Alessia posing in a sexualised way that is true to how she is used to being depicted and viewed as it was announced last year that one of the remaining ‘Sails’ was being torn down This encouraged me to continue this project to continue to document these individuals as the landscape around them changes – at the same time the relationship between Alessia and her mother changes as her mother grows older and needs more looking after Attitudes towards gender nonconformity still feel refreshingly liberated in Naples – feminine men and masculine women are much more present in the fabric of society than elsewhere in Europe “One thing that struck me about the queer community here is their integrity There is a strong connection with tradition and this is of utmost importance to the community Neapolitan people in general are fiercely proud of their city Respecting this feels incredibly important.” Anime Salve is at PAN (Palazzo delle arti Napoli) You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed The Galileo Ferraris Institute of Scampia is once again the protagonist of the promotion of cinematographic and audiovisual language as an object and tool of education and training with the project "Urban visions beyond the city: from Scampia yesterday in association with Inbilico Teatro and Film by Andrea Canova and the collaboration of Lemon Academy created as part of the National Plan for Cinema and Images for Schools promoted by Mic and Mim First appointment on February 4th at 10.00 in the Ferraris auditorium (via Antonio Labriola Lotto 2G) with the presentation of the project screenings of the short film "The flies" by Edgardo Pistone and the documentary "Selfie" by Agostino Ferrente followed by analysis with debate Second meeting on 11 February with screenings of the short film "Il corridor delle farfalle" by Claudia Brignone and Andrea Canova and the documentary "La Villa" by Claudia Brignone under the direction of the director Saverio Petitti has been involved in innovative actions in terms of the use of audiovisual media at school as demonstrated by the presentation of the film 'Midnight' at the Giffoni Film Festival The events now promoted by this combination of reciprocal skills help local cultural development and take the form of positive actions in the Italian school scene” Two people have been killed and at least 13 injured following the collapse of a balcony in the Scampia suburb of Naples in Italy The concrete and iron parts killed a 29-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman who lived in the social housing estate Several children are among the at least 13 injured aged two and four are in a life-threatening condition The accident occurred late on Monday evening shortly before 11 pm (2100 GMT) Many residents were outside due to the high temperatures a balcony on the fourth floor of the building collapsed There were panic-like scenes in the building several of the injured are in critical condition At least seven children between the ages of two and eight are among the injured It remains unclear why the balcony could no longer bear the load More than 800 residents had to leave their homes as a precaution and spend the next few hours outside The suburb of Scampia is considered a stronghold of Mafia families Gang crime and drug dealing are widespread Many of the buildings in the neighbourhood were built in the 1960s and 1970s the house in which the accident occurred was built in 1975 Britain not sharing technology on fighter project – Italy Queen Camilla arrive in Italy for state visit will not benefit America – Italy’s prime minister Italy concerned but not terrified by potential Trump wine tariffs – Minister Italy pledges 68 million euros in aid for Syria Copyright © Daily Post Media Ltd The military of the operational nucleus of Naples Stella arrested two lookouts and a pusher during an anti-drug operation The military of the operational nucleus of Naples Stella arrested two lookouts and a pusher during an anti-drug operation in the neighborhood Scampia 16 of kobret and 47 of heroin were found in the hiding place 2014 Sony World Photography Awards - 2nd Place Salvatore Esposito is a documentary photographer who lives in Naples He began working as a photojournalist for a newspaper where he worked on chronicle and particularly on organized crime Salvatore began working as a freelance for the Fotogramma Agency of Milan and the historic French Agency Sipa Press in Paris following all the news of greatest interest at the national level Salvatore Esposito's interest in "the human being" led him then to take care of reportage on "contemporary issues" of humanistic argument Salvatore is a photographer committed to documenting the issues related to the profound cultural changes of the human being and loves to tell in depth the topics and create elements to reflect on the consequences of the social changes of human being today Salvatore is a narrator of humanistic tradition who penetrates into the stories photographing with empathy and humanity prostitution but especially organized crime a subject that engages him still at one of the long-term work says one of the most dangerous mafia in the country: the Camorra Salvatore undertakes one of his most complex work in Scampia managing to break into a reality among the toughest in Europe earning the trust of dealers of the Camorra this will lead his work for about two and a half years The result "Hell of Scampia" was published numerous times in Italy and abroad and was awarded several times including the Sony World Photography Award the Terry O 'Neill Award where among the other is reported for his courage and the Getty Images Grant Salvatore Esposito joined the Photographer Staff of Contrasto Agency and he was invited by Manfrotto to become the Ambassador of the company His works have been published in major magazines such as The Sunday Times Magazine Salvatore shot his first Short Documentary called "La Cella Zero" which depicts big violations of human rights and narrates the story about the abuse by some police officers on the prisoners in the Poggioreale jail Website | Instagram | Facebook For many years crossing the threshold that divides Scampia from Piscinola through the station of Naples’s underground railway has meant passing through the frame of a suspended building site exposed to the weather one of the many examples of such unfinished works to be found in Italy but also a symbol of a specific local fragility The notorious Vele (a housing complex dating from the 1960s that has become a haunt of the underworld with their impending fate of total demolition apart from a monumental fragment to be preserved in memory of a modernity filled with unfulfilled and ill-starred promises and still epitomize the harsh realities of the neighbourhood But they are certainly not all it has to offer ironic” social contagiousness of Felice Pignataro (founder in 1981 of the Gridas cultural association known as “the awakening from sleep group”) and its murals or the more recent figures painted by the street artist Jorit on the walls facing the underground station new and gigantic icons of welcome to the neighbourhood: Angela Davis and Pier Paolo Pasolini the “corsair,” accompanied by his celebrated words “Be cheerful Which today sounds like an appeal taken at its word invited by the Fondazione Plart and its coordinator Maria Pia Incutti to contribute to the completion of Scampia station as the last stop on the Naples’s famous metropolitana museo Cherubino Gambardella and Simona Ottieri have made that “shining” the evocative motif of their design which a score made up of linear and dot-like gilded and luminous metal elements adorns like a necklace or rewrites like a scintillating musical notation: an appropriate metaphor of introduction to the space inside which is in fact a “promenade” through architecture just as they had already done in the Loreto station of the Milan Metro but with a different rhythm to the abstract and rapid thunderbolts in Milan: here they have staged a more syncopated and “figurative” scene But also one that has a dreamy and theatrical dimension “a baroque piece of stage machinery of the Neapolitan tradition,” says Gambardella Alessandro Mendini himself argued that a city metro is “a global aesthetic work that profoundly involves the inhabitants of the city and forms a backdrop to their daily lives” after completing the shell with silvered panels and a perforated metal mesh they have played around with perceptual depth with walls lacquered a dark-blue colour and metallic red backgrounds and made the ancient and alchemical element of gold the connective figure of the whole route guiding travellers through a gleaming and sonorous arcade at the entrance that then “unrolls” and fragments along the stairs supported by a “gangling” procession of metal trees before reaching the level of the tracks and emerging while a dualism is created between “decorated shed” and internal-external interpenetration at the two ends of the station art provides a new piece of “obligatory museum” (Lo Scambiapassi is the title of the operation) with Luciano Romano’s photographs of famous musicians who grew up in in the northern suburbs of Naples (Song ’e mare) Enzo Palumbo’s abstract panel (Tracce di rissa) and Gian Maria Tosatti’s installation (Elegia di Scampia) made of thousands of dried rose petals homage to a human frailty full of grace and kindness Time will tell if all this can act as effective acupuncture or as a “benign metastasis” spreading to the wider urban fabric In the meantime it is certain that Scampia’s new station has the sensibility of a not academic dialogue with the area and moreover one untouched by any fanciful ambition of gentrification (which is a good thing) and bets with the inhabitants on a collective sense of belonging not tied to “portable” symbologies but rooted in the place and the culture as well as in the delights of a healthy sense of humour and website in this browser for the next time I comment Abitare.it e Style.corriere.it rifiutando tutti i cookie di profilazione ad eccezione di quelli tecnici necessari Naviga il sito di Abitare.it con pubblicità profilata e senza abbonarti By subscribing you will reject all but technical cookies on Iodonna.it By clicking "accept" you will allow to process your personal data by us and third parties and be able to browse Abitare.it website without a subscription Anime Salve is a celebration of gender non-conformity when the odds are stacked against you Words: Jade Wickes9th September 2020 When British photographer and director Jess Kohl first travelled to Naples she was interested in researching femminelli (“effeminate men celebrated in the Campania region since the 19th century”) and whether these historically liberal attitudes towards gender non-conformity had bled into modern Neapolitan society Her curiosity led her to Scampia – a ​“bedroom suburb” situated at the very north end of Naples – where she has spent the last two years taking stunning raw photographs of marginalised members from the local community These images will be exhibited in Kohl’s first Italian solo presentation Anime Salve (English translation: ​“saved souls”): an exploration of gender non-conformity as it intersects with religion The exhibition doubles up as a taster for Kohl’s first feature documentary which will focus on the transformation of the infamous suburban landscape of Scampia “Originally built in the Sixties and Seventies as a utopian housing project the area was devastated by the Irpinia earthquake in 1980,” Kohl explains ​“People were displaced and began squatting [in] buildings This meant Scampia became a breeding ground for drugs and crime.” It was crucial for Kohl to ​“show people the other side of this area The hospitality and warmth that I was met with rather than sensationalised crime usually depicted in the media.” And she has succeeded: every photograph is as gritty and haunting as the next but each one is beautiful and ultimately celebratory “The most poignant images for me are of Alessia and Amalia they live together and share an incredibly close bond,” Kohl continues ​“Watching that relationship over a period of years watching Alessia’s mother grow older and less able and the impact that has on them both Anime Salve is a body of work that offers a humane insight into the tenderness of intimate relationships and Kohl hopes that people will come away from seeing it ​“with more compassion towards trans and marginalised people” it sheds light on a wholly undocumented Kohl is hoping that the full-length documentary will be ready to share in 2021 ​“Working on a project over a longer period of time has been a new experience for me,” she says ​“We live in a society where there’s this constant pressure to churn out work I’m enjoying seeing the value that time brings to a project.” Anime Salve opens at PAN (Palazzo delle arti Napoli) on 11th September In what he said was an attempt to protect the area and its inhabitants from disproportionately bad publicity will not allow cameras into the neighbourhood for the making of the upcoming drama which is to be called Gomorrah after Roberto Saviano's chilling exposé of the Neapolitan underworld which in turn spawned Matteo Garrone's film "It is time to say enough of the exploitative use of Naples and this area in particular," Pisani told the Corriere del Mezzogiorno "The constant exaggeration – only of the negative things it cannot be denied – solves nothing; on the contrary it worsens the problems and confirms the stigma." said that while he played no part in Pisani's decision "We are tired of seeing Scampia reduced … to a place of conquest for the warring Camorra as if nothing else existed in Scampia beyond the drug-pushing and the feuding clans," he said likening the Gomorrah effect on the local area to a "negative media brand" that he claimed had left locals "exasperated" the Naples-born writer and scourge of the Camorra this smacked of little more than "pure sly censorship" aimed at deflecting attention from the problems of Scampia and politicians' inability to solve them "How can you want to block the recounting of the contradictions of a place which should be at the forefront of national interest every day?" he wrote in a savage column for La Repubblica who has played a supervisory role in the 12-part series accused local politicians of "shifting attention from the problem to the recounting of the problem" He added: "When nothing changes because of incompetent management it is better [for politicians] that the organs of the press writers' pens and directors' TV cameras remain silent the work of production companies Fandango and Cattleya for Sky Italia A spokesman for Catteleya said he was surprised by the decision particularly as only a small amount of the series was to be set in Scampia were credited with exposing the work of the powerful Neapolitan mafia to the world scene of continuing bloody turf wars between rival Camorra factions over multimillion-pound drug markets one of the area's most notorious fugitives On the run from murder and criminal conspiracy charges since September he was described by police as the head of the powerful Girati clan of Scampia The local police found an entire area used as a landfill containing about 30 cubic meters of the same documents used by a vehicle dealership now declared bankrupt The local police of Naples intervened near the Roma camp of Scampia for a report of an illegal waste spill The agents managed to identify the connected economic activity through the examination of the numerous documents present among the waste and they found an entire area used as a landfill used from a vehicle dealership now declared bankrupt The agents they noted that the area in question is connected to a new commercial vehicle concessionary company and requested explanations from the legal representative on the accumulation of waste receiving a negative response despite the obvious use of the landfill in question Proceeding with the preventive seizure of the landfill the agents were approached by a third person who declaring himself a former member of the police force threatened the agents to avoid seizure of the area saying "here they shoot and they really shoot I will speak to your commander and have you removed The agents completed the operation by identifying the third person in addition to the legal representative of the new concessionaire and forwarding to the Public Prosecutor's Office notification of the crime for the environmental crimes and the threats suffered Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Assassins belonging to the Camorra mafia in Italy have executed a man in the courtyard of a kindergarten in Scampia while children were rehearsing Christmas songs was hunted by killers on a motorcycle to the entrance of a school and shot dead "We were rehearsing songs for the Christmas play," a teacher told daily La Repubblica "Luckily our children didn't hear the shots We were evacuated through a secondary exit and we didn't see the dead body." Scampia is at the core of the so-called Camorra feud between criminal gangs in and around Naples Roberto Saviano's award-winning expose of organised crime in the region a faction from the once powerful Di Lauro clan in the northern suburbs of Naples that attempted to take over drugs and prostitution rackets in the area Around 300 children were singing Christmas songs a few yards from the murder scene who has been convicted in the past for drug dealing and other crimes was father of one of the children at the kindergarten