Camorra, massacre at the Sayonara bar, procession in Ponticelli to not forget

Thirty-five years after the massacre that shocked the community of Ponticelli, thousands of people marched through the streets of the neighborhood, in a moving tribute to the innocent victims of the Bar Sayonara.

Gaetano De Cicco, Salvatore Benaglia, Domenico Guarracino and Gaetano Di Nocera, whose names are engraved in the heart of Ponticelli, were remembered with a long and silent procession that started from the intersection between Viale Margherita and Via Argine.

A human river, composed of citizens, students, associations and representatives of the institutions, walked through the streets of the neighborhood, culminating in Piazza Egizio Sandomenico, where the monument dedicated to the victims stands.

Here, in front of the plaque bearing their names, the participants observed a minute of silence, a powerful and touching gesture that underscored the importance of keeping the memory of that tragic night alive.

"This is not just a commemoration, but an act of courage," declared Mariano Di Palma, Libera's Campania representative, during his speech.

Di Palma then emphasized the importance of Libera's awareness-raising efforts in schools: "The kids who are here with us today demonstrate that memory can be a powerful tool for change. Their presence fills us with hope and gives us the strength to keep fighting."

Among the marchers were many young students carrying banners and signs bearing phrases like "Never again the Camorra" and "Remembrance is a duty." "We are here to say that we don't want a future marked by fear and violence," said one student. "We want a city where everyone can live in safety and freedom."

The Bar Sayonara massacre, which took place on November 11, 1989, was a bloody episode in the war between clans that bloodied Naples in the 80s and 90s.

Four innocent people lost their lives, hit by a barrage of bullets while they were sitting at the bar counter. A crime that left a deep mark on the community of Ponticelli, which has never stopped fighting for justice and legality since then.