Castellammare: The illegal gate of the hotel on Pozzano beach has been sealed.

In Castellammare di Stabia, the battle for free access to Pozzano beach is becoming increasingly heated. Following complaints filed by MP Francesco Emilio Borrelli of the Green Left Alliance and regional representative Rosario Lotito of Europa Verde, the Port Authority has ordered the seizure of a gate erected illegally by a hotel, which was blocking pedestrian access to the sea and along the shoreline.

The authorities' decision, however, did not quell tensions: the hotel management continued to deny direct access to the beach, citing reasons deemed incomprehensible and unconvincing for the closure. Among the justifications provided, preventing "illegal date shell fishing" was described by MP Borrelli as a pretext to justify a structure built without permits on public maritime property.

The Pozzano case is emblematic of a broader problem affecting the Stabia coast: beach access blocked by fences and metal barriers, impediments that also impede the passage of emergency vehicles, and public beaches effectively privatized with early occupation of loungers and umbrellas. These practices have created a system of exclusion that has limited citizens' right to freely enjoy the sea for years.

The beachgoers' demonstration, along with MP Borrelli, emphasized the need to guarantee free coastal access and remove all illegal barriers. The Coast Guard's action represents a first step, but the question remains: who will compensate residents for years of restrictions and abuses?

Local institutions and law enforcement are monitoring the situation, aiming to restore the community's essential common good, the beach, accessible to all without barriers.