“Stop overtourism and B&Bs”: this is the cry launched by the campaign activists “Stay a Resident” in Naples, who organized a symbolic flash mob, putting up posters on the shutters of an abandoned newsstand. The protest aims to raise public awareness and institutions on the negative impact that the uncontrolled growth of bed & breakfasts and tourist rentals is having on the lives of residents.
During the initiative, a flyer was distributed explaining the reasons for the campaign: “The fight against the excess of B&Bs joins all those organizations that fight against evictions and fight for the right to housing and common goods.” The message is clear: the uncontrolled expansion of tourism is threatening the livability of the city and the right of its residents to remain in their neighborhoods.
The activists of the “Resta Abitante” campaign will not stop here. They have announced new communication and mobilization initiatives, underlining the need for urgent intervention by the institutions. However, in the absence of concrete answers, the protest organizers have anticipated that they will appeal to a symbolic figure much loved by Neapolitans: San Gennaro. During the celebrations for the miracle of the liquefaction of the blood, scheduled for Thursday 19 September, the protesters hope that the Patron Saint of Naples can “melt” the interests of property developers and speculators, where politics seems to be absent.
The initiative also saw the involvement of “Liberi Edizioni”, an editorial project that gives new life to the city’s abandoned newsstands, transforming them into spaces for reflection on current issues. Among the issues addressed, the campaign has already touched on topics of great international relevance such as the release of Julian Assange and the tragic death in Colombia of Mario Paciolla, a UN collaborator.
EDITORIAL TEAM
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