Acerra – A float depicting a Statue of Liberty armed with a machine gun, paraded during the last day of the Acerra Carnival, has sparked a wave of controversy. The image, still visible on the Facebook page of the local Pro Loco, shows the statue placed on a structure that reproduces a prison, with a clear dedication to the inmates.
The float, entitled “Freedom” and created by the Rione Gescal paranza, paraded alongside other Disney-themed floats, in an event funded by the Municipality but organized by an external company. The unusual representation provoked a harsh reaction from the senator of Fratelli d'Italia, Sergio Rastrelli, who called the float “unworthy” and a symbol of a “subculture of addiction and compliance with criminal references”.
Rastrelli announced an urgent parliamentary question to the Minister of the Interior to clarify how it was possible that such a float, accompanied by neomelodic music and figures dressed as prison guards, could parade without opposition and how an event financed by the Municipality could include such a controversial element without controls.
The senator thanked the local coordination of Fratelli d'Italia for having reported the incident, underlining the importance of the fight against the Camorra and the mafia culture for the redemption of the territory. The incident has sparked a heated debate on the nature of Carnival and the limits of satire, with many citizens expressing their disappointment with the image conveyed by the event.
Article published on March 5, 2025 - 15pm
It's strange how a float with a statue of liberty armed with a machine gun can be accepted during an event like Carnival. I don't understand the strong reactions but maybe it's just a matter of taste.