Bagnoli, tensions between committees and the mayor over the America's Cup project

NAPLES – Bagnoli City Council chamber clashed with the street: while inside, urban regeneration and works for the 2027 America's Cup were being discussed , outside, local committees protested with chants and slogans against the administration's decisions. The single-issue session revealed a picture of sharp disagreements, with positions still divided between the mayor, the council, and the residents of the neighborhood.

Mayor and government commissioner Gaetano Manfredi reiterated his desire for dialogue, "starting with technical data and scientific facts," and assured that the remediation work envisaged by the Environmental Remediation and Urban Regeneration Program (PRARU) will be completed. The landfill will not be removed, but "sealed" to become a large seaside plaza. Temporary structures related to the sporting event will be removed after the Cup, while infrastructure such as the new metro station and the urban park will remain with the city.

Among the most controversial issues remains the issue of expropriation in Coroglio. Paola Minieri, a resident of the neighborhood, emphasized the right to housing: "Expropriation should be a last resort, but instead it seems like the administration's most convenient option." Manfredi assured that efforts will be made to reconcile the residents' needs with those of the project, providing compensation to those forced to leave their homes.

Outside, the committees continued to make their voices heard, chanting "Whoever polluted must pay" and "Yes to the beach, no to the Coppa," also calling for the mayor's resignation and the release of the activist arrested during the clashes preceding the meeting, which resulted in a police officer being injured in the head. Tensions remain high, amid the administration's determination and the protests of citizens opposed to the project.