Local opposition grows over plan to convert military prison into civilian facility
Civil prison instead of military? What until a few days ago seemed only a vague hypothesis is now beginning to take on much more concrete characteristics: next Wednesday, in fact, the military prison facility, which the government has decided to close by June 30, will be visited by two officials from the Ministry of Justice and Grace.
To the debates not yet resolved, which arose after the notification of the closure, are added those triggered by this latest news, received in recent hours by Mayor Umberto Chincarini; and in response, the mayor has announced he is ready for any form of civic protest against a decision “whose justification, where and how, is not understandable.”
“It is a measure that goes against all logic and common sense,” exclaims the mayor and parliament member, “to create a civilian prison in the heart of a tourist town’s historic center, just a few dozen meters from the parish church and even from the elementary school of the capital.”
Conditions and protests
Chincarini claims that these conditions are in contrast with the need for absolute security in a prison. “It is no coincidence that today, penal facilities are being built on large, spacious areas: here, exactly the opposite would be done, and I wonder according to which criteria of security—both inside and outside the building.”
On the other hand, this intended use could finally explain the sudden decision to close the only military prison in Northern Italy.
Just a few days ago, relatives of current inmates, Caritas volunteers, and police union representatives gathered in the church of San Martino for a moment of prayer and, at the same time, peaceful protest against the closure: being moved, in just a few weeks, to Santa Maria Capua Vetere means drastically reducing contact with their families and legal representatives.
Reactions and commitments
A form of civil death to which the inmates at Peschiera have not yet resigned, so their requests for intervention and help to the authorities continue. “Perhaps we should interpret the visit of the two officials as a response to these requests,” Chincarini states sarcastically.
“Next Tuesday, I will be in Rome and will do everything possible to clarify this matter: if my suspicions are confirmed, I will make the administration’s total opposition known, and I believe, also that of the local population.”
The mayor continues, “This opposition will be expressed not only in ministerial offices but also publicly here: after the needs of the inmates and their families,” concludes Chincarini, “the needs of an entire town that does not need to have a civilian prison among the monuments of its historic center cannot be ignored.”
Giuditta Bolognesi