Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
PALERMO / NEWS – Another night of tension and violence against rescuers in Palermo’s CEP district. A Fire Brigade crew sent to tackle fires in about 20 rubbish bins came under a hail of stones even though they were operating under police escort.
As they worked to put out the fires, the firefighters were further hindered by makeshift barricades of bins and piles of rubbish. During the assault, the windscreen of one of the emergency vehicles was damaged.
[Image: A Fire Brigade vehicle at a night-time firefighting operation]
Conapo condemnation: “Third serious incident in under a month”
The incident was firmly condemned by Marco Piergallini, general secretary of Conapo (the Fire Brigade’s autonomous union), who pointed to a now recurring spiral of violence in the same area of the city:
“It is intolerable that firefighters, who risk their lives to save others, should also have to defend themselves from people who attack them during operations. We cannot wait for someone to be injured or, worse, killed before we act.”
Piergallini noted that the overnight episode was the third serious attack in less than 30 days in the Palermo district:
- 16 October: a crew had been surrounded and some rescue equipment stolen.
- 24 October: other operators had been surrounded and obstructed during an operation, despite the presence of the police.
Appeal to prefect Mariani and minister Piantedosi
Faced with what the union calls an unacceptable situation, Conapo is demanding immediate structural action at both local and government level:
“We are asking the prefect of Palermo, Massimo Mariani, to urgently call a meeting with the provincial heads of the Fire Brigade and the police to define concrete measures to prevent and protect rescue teams, especially in the highest-risk areas. We are asking interior minister Matteo Piantedosi and under-secretary Emanuele Prisco to address the problem at national level as well, so that firefighters’ safety is guaranteed everywhere,” Piergallini continued.
“We express our full solidarity with the colleagues who were attacked. Anyone who damages an emergency vehicle or obstructs an operation puts the safety of the entire community at risk. A stone thrown at firefighters is a stone thrown at every citizen’s right to rescue.” the Conapo general secretary concluded.
