The Prefect of Naples, Michele di Bari, disagrees. Following the ruling by the Campania Regional Administrative Court (TAR) annulling the extension of the ban on loitering in the city's so-called "red zones," the government's response has arrived: an appeal will be filed with the Council of State. The Prefecture emphasizes that the decision was made "in full compliance with the judicial ruling," but is based on the belief in the legitimacy and necessity of these measures, which were created to combat widespread degradation and crime in some critical areas of the city.
The contested ordinance, the Neapolitan Prefecture stated in a statement, was the result of a process shared with the mayors within the Committee for Public Order and Safety. The so-called " red zones "—limited in time and circumscribed—were identified based on documented incidents of fights, vandalism, excessive alcohol consumption, drug dealing, and assaults, which necessitated the intervention of law enforcement to ensure the use of public spaces.
At the heart of the measure, according to the Prefect, was the balance between freedom of movement and the right to safety. The ordinances, in fact, allowed individuals already reported for crimes, aggression, or nuisances to be removed from places particularly exposed to urban decay, without generalizing the bans.
I read the article and it seems to me that there are many issues to consider regarding the Prefect's decree. The need for security is important, but citizens' freedoms must not be overlooked either. The issue of red zones is complex.