Mafia funeral procession in Palermo: Market closed, firecrackers and fireworks in the streets
Traders at the Ballarò market were forced to close their shops during the funeral of a convicted mafia member in Palermo. Mayor Lagalla condemned the incident.
Closed shops and fireworks for mafia member in Palermo
Shock and outrage were provoked in Palermo when the funeral of a convicted mafia member turned into a display of organised crime's power in the centre of the Sicilian capital, according to Dikastiko.gr.
Traders at Ballarò, Sicily's largest open-air market, were forced to "lower their shutters as a sign of mourning" as a funeral procession with the coffin of Emanuele Rubino passed from an adjacent street. This was pressure exerted by members of organised crime on local traders, leaving them with no choice.
Who was Emanuele Rubino
Rubino had been sentenced by a first-instance court in Palermo to twelve years' imprisonment for the murder of a migrant from Gambia, which took place in 2016. At the same time, he had been found guilty of extortion against foreign traders who ran small businesses in the city centre — imposing the compulsory mafia "protection racket" — and was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment for these acts.
Organisation via the internet
Members of organised crime coordinated their actions via the internet to honour Rubino. The result was the closure of a central street in Palermo, with motorcycles leading the funeral procession, whilst firecrackers and fireworks accompanied the route.
The "spectacle" shocked tourists in the area and provoked the anger of thousands of residents in Palermo, who once again faced a display of Cosa Nostra's power in the city's daily life.
The mayor's response
"Our city cannot accept that throughout entire areas, behaviours are adopted on account of which citizens feel they cannot live in conditions of security and freedom," said Palermo mayor Roberto Lagalla.
Lagalla clarified, however, that "when the municipal police were notified, its members acted immediately and prohibited the continuation of the procession," suggesting that the initial show of force stopped following the intervention of the authorities.
Source: Dikastiko.gr