A barrage of cars hit broken windows in the Porta al Prato area. Episode, which occurred this night between via Montebello, via il Prato and the Piazza Vittorio Veneto area, which adds to a long list of car thefts that have occurred in the recent past in the city.
“Last night in the area of the former municipal theater the windows of around twenty parked cars were smashed: yet another night of devastation in the city. For some residents it is the seventh time in a few years. Windows were also shattered on a bus and tourist cars. With the lack of – private – surveillance around the Ferris wheel, which was dismantled a few days ago, the assault of crime on the city has begun again”. Thus mayoral candidate Eike Schmidt.
“During the day, drug addicts camp out and wander everywhere, drug dealers rage undisturbed along the Cascine road. The situation has been dragging on for years, it has been reported over and over again since 2018. Citizens’ committees have been formed. Unheard. No response from the Administration, not even respect for the famous Security Pact,” adds Schmidt.
“For years the Nardella administration has continued to talk about ‘perceived insecurity’: the only distorted perception is that of those who deny that a security problem exists in Florence”.
“How much the problem is in first place for the mayoral candidate is demonstrated by the fact that she didn’t even show up at the only discussion on this issue organized in Santo Spirito during the electoral campaign. We, however, consider safety a priority. Once we are at the helm of the city – concludes Schmidt – we will intervene by making the best use of the resources and means available, starting with the establishment of fixed garrisons throughout the city. It is unacceptable for Florence to have free zones at the mercy of drug dealers and thugs.”
The new president of Quartiere 1, Mirco Rufilli, responds to the centre-right candidate. “As soon as I heard about the smashing of cars in the area of Piazza Vittorio Veneto and Via Montebello, I went to speak to the residents, who were rightly angry, and to the municipal police who were already on site. I want to be very honest: splits are a hateful and unacceptable phenomenon. As the newly elected president of District 1, I undertake to implement all the necessary measures to prevent this phenomenon: first, the strengthening of the neighborhood police, coordinating together with Palazzo Vecchio and with all the police forces”.
“The first and most effective response to combat this type of act can only be to increase the number of agents on the streets of Florence – adds Rufilli – and here the responsibility of the central government is clear. The Municipality has been asking for reinforcements for months and no response has arrived from Rome. Only with more officers on the streets will we be able to effectively combat phenomena like these, which in addition to causing serious damage to citizens, affect the feeling of safety.”
