Naples – Shopkeepers will be out in the streets tomorrow morning to protest the escalation of muggings and pickpocketing that has been making life increasingly difficult along Corso Umberto for months.
The meeting is set for 10:30 a.m. in front of the Cozzolino Pharmacy, at number 391, where the Rettifilo shopkeepers will stage a flash mob to send a clear message to the authorities: more controls, a constant police presence, and concrete action are needed to restore decorum and safety to one of the city's main arteries.
The initiative is being promoted by Franco Veglianti, president of the Corso Umberto Natural Shopping Center, who represents local merchants. He will be joined by MP Francesco Emilio Borrelli, Rosario Pugliese, a member of the Europa Verde regional executive, and city councilor Flavia Sorrentino.
"The Rettifilo cannot become a no-man's land. Anyone who lives, works, or crosses Corso Umberto must be able to do so safely. We need a constant police presence and concrete action against muggings, pickpocketing, and degradation. We will stand by the merchants because safety and legality cannot be postponed," Borrelli and Pugliese jointly declared.
The protest stems from a situation that the merchants describe as unsustainable: "Not a day goes by," they emphasize, "without us having to assist or provide assistance to tourists and Neapolitan citizens who are victims of muggings and pickpocketing. Cell phones, wallets, valuables, and other personal effects are stolen daily, creating a climate of concern that also damages businesses and the image of our region."
Tomorrow's initiative aims to send a strong and unified message. Business owners are demanding immediate responses: more officers on the streets, greater attention to urban decorum, and an intervention plan that restores Rettifilo to its role as a livable and safe place. The flash mob will serve precisely to raise awareness on an issue that, the business owners say, can no longer be postponed.
