Naples homeless attacked in the church of Sant'Antonio and Sant'Alfonso: protests begin

Naples. This morning a protest was held in front of the church of Sant'Antonio and Sant'Alfonso a Tarsia, in Naples.

The initiative, promoted by activists of Potere al Popolo, was born in response to theaggression suffered by some homeless people who live inside the now deconsecrated religious building.

Last Saturday, three unknown individuals forced their way into the church and attacked one of the homeless, causing his dental prosthesis to break. The incident was reported to the police and the injured man received a medical report certifying his injuries.

Dozens of people took part in the sit-in, displaying a banner with the words “Stop the aggression against the homeless of the Church. What do the people think? Redemptorist Fathers?”. The protesters pointed the finger at members of the congregation to which the church belonged, demanding that they take a stand on the incident.

The occupation of the church

The occupation of the church of Sant'Antonio and Sant'Alfonso in Tarsia began in February 2018, as a response to the lack of adequate places to accommodate the homeless in the city. In recent years, the housing project has allowed dozens of people to escape from a condition of extreme poverty and marginalization.

Power's demands to the People

The activists of Potere al Popolo denounce the intimidation suffered by the homeless and ask the Redemptorist Fathers and the Archbishop of Naples, Battaglia, to reopen a direct dialogue with them. The goal is to find a solution that protects the rights of the most fragile and that is in line with the values ​​of welcome and Christian charity proper to the Church.