BARI – «At first I was undecided, but then I thought that this story deserved to be told. The family that is the protagonist deserves it. Our city deserves it. It is the story of Mario and Laura (they are fictitious names), brother and sister, who decide to carry on the small family business inherited from their father. Two respectable people who at a certain point, due to a series of robberies and thefts suffered in their company, find themselves in difficulty.” With these words, published on his Facebook profile and complete with photos, the mayor of Bari, Antonio Decarotells the story of a family that he himself convinced to turn to the police to file a complaint.
«They are afraid of not being able to cope – writes Decaro – Someone advises them to turn to the wrong people, “the Parisi family“, unscrupulous people, who put them under extortion by infiltrating the company by promising false protection. The thefts and robberies, as if by magic, stopped from one day to the next. But one day they kidnapped one of their relatives, in search of money. One evening five years ago, unaware of everything, I met Mario and Laura. They had wide eyes and a trembling voice. It was clear that they were ashamed , them, the victims (!) to tell what was happening. I convinced them to be accompanied by the Carabinieri. Together we found the courage to report and from that moment the investigations into the extortionists began.”
The trial he saw arose from that complaint Decaro – wearing the tricolor sash – on the front line, accompanying Mario to the Court to give testimony.
Decaro then adds: «I did it to represent the best city, to demonstrate, there, in that room, that there is a Bari that, like them, doesn’t give up. While Mario testified he had the same wide eyes and the same trembling voice as our first conversation. Then I tried to meet his gaze. To make us strong, one with the other.”
«Others and others will follow this hearing, – continues Decaro – and even when I am no longer the mayor, I hope to be at their side again. Just as I hope that you can all tell Mario and Laura’s story, in your office, at home, in schools, to your friends and family. You can tell it to all those who say that Bari is a mafia city. Because this is the story of a proud Bari, which gets back up. The story of a Bari that overcame fear with courage.”
«The embrace you see in this photo – concludes the mayor of Bari – is proof that we can escape from the yoke of crime. It is the embrace of finally free citizens. Free because they chose to challenge the mafia. Free, because they won.”
