NAPLES – Cicalone, the renowned Roman videographer who has made social commentary his trademark, has returned to Naples. And once again, he's put his finger on the sore spot, on that soft underbelly of the city that so many prefer to ignore.
Perhaps because he isn't Neapolitan, perhaps because he's used to telling things as they are, even when they concern Rome—his city—Cicalone had the courage to describe a Naples that many Neapolitans themselves dismiss or downplay.
In a new video reportage published on his channelsCicalone walks through the streets of the historic center, a UNESCO heritage site, among piles of rubbish, abandoned mattresses, drug addicts in broad daylight and a general feeling of abandonment. It's not a gratuitous provocation, it's not hatred towards Naples: it's a cry of alarm. And it's not even the first time. Just a short time ago the same thing happened. Cicalone was attacked right in Naples, The victim of an attempted robbery that ended in a fight. An episode that could have discouraged anyone. But he returned. And he documented it again.
The video shows scenes that should outrage anyone: people completely abandoned, dumped on the streets in pitiful conditions, with no one—not the municipality, not social services, not law enforcement—seemingly doing anything. Piazza Garibaldi, Via Foria, and even some corners of the Decumani look more like the sets of a post-apocalyptic film than pedestrian zones in a city of art.
The paradox is served: the city of culture, of universities, of tourists in droves, is transformed at sunset (and sometimes even before) into a stage of degradation that no rhetoric about the "soul of Naples" can justify.
Cicalone doesn't cut corners. And why should he? He does it even in Rome, where he's been denouncing the pitiful state of the suburbs for years. But when he touches Naples, the pseudo-moralistic indignation rises punctually, crying out against racism, insult, and Neapolitan treason. As if telling the truth, exposing the degradation, were an affront to the city and not a moral duty.
The problem isn't Cicalone's videos. The problem is that what he documents is real. And the residents who live there know it well, forced to live with filth, rats, urine, feces, assaults, and fear. It's not hatred toward Naples. It's love for the truth. And it's love, true love, that demands justice, decency, and redemption, not silence and excuses.
Naples isn't just this, of course. But this *is* Naples too. And as long as we continue to look the other way, those who have the courage to look and speak out, like Cicalone, will make more and more noise. And perhaps that's exactly what's needed.
In short
NAPLES – Cicalone, the well-known Roman videomaker who has made social commentary his trademark, has returned to Naples.
- And once again he put his finger on the wound, in that soft underbelly of the city that many prefer to ignore.
- Maybe because he's not Neapolitan, maybe because he's used to telling things as they are even when they concern Rome –…
- In a new video reportage published on his channels, Cicalone walks the streets of the historic center, in the midst of the…
Key questions
What is the main point of the news?
NAPLES – Cicalone, the well-known Roman videomaker who has made social commentary his trademark, has returned to Naples.
Why is this news relevant?
And once again he put his finger on the wound, in that soft underbelly of the city that many prefer to ignore.
Which detail helps us understand the case better?
Maybe because he's not Neapolitan, maybe because he's used to telling things as they are even when they concern Rome – his city –…
I don't know if it's right for Cicalone to speak this way about Naples, but I think the problems exist and no one does anything. It's not just a question of racism, but of a corruption that never gets resolved. The streets are full of garbage.