We are not dogs, we are human beings! That is what one of the handmade, protest placards read, as African immigrants took to the streets here to protest against being attacked by a gang of local youths who shot at them with air rifles as they returned from their work picking oranges. Two of them were shot and badly injured.
The men were inhabitants of Rosarno, a small town in Reggio Calabria on the toe of Italy's boot, where over 1,000 African workers were living in a disused warehouse with just eight chemical toilets and three showers between them. There was no electricity and, until recently, no running water.
"So God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1: 27
A plea for dignity
This is not the first time there has been trouble here. In 2008, two immigrants were shot and seriously wounded in the disused factory where they were sleeping. On that occasion the African immigrants staged a peaceful protest against the attack, making their way to the town hall and asking only to be treated humanely and with dignity.
The exploitation and violence against these men is believed to be connected to the 'Ndrangheta', the Calabrian Mafia, who have a tight grip on the life of the town. It is no coincidence that the Italian media is trying to downplay the link, that the police have swooped on the town arresting two very high profile mafia bosses and confiscating mafia owned property and businesses.
Hard times
This incident opened a Pandora's box of pent-up anger and frustration on both sides of the community. Many of Rosarno's 15,000 Italian residents blamed the immigrants for much of the economic hardships they face and the 1,000-plus camp residents, mostly young African men living in horrific conditions and trying to eek out an existence picking fruit for €2 an hour.
In the present economic crisis times are hard and unemployment, especially in the south of Italy, is rife. Local people turned their resentment on the illegal immigrants whom they blamed for their unhappiness. Frustration quickly turned to violence as about 100 Africans set up roadblocks. They forced cars to stop and then began smashing up vehicles with iron bars.
Having reached the town centre, they attacked more cars and set fire to rubbish bins. Terrified people locked themselves in their homes and the police were called but were unable to stop the riot.
Spiralling out of control
The situation was now dangerously out of control and local residents began to take the law into their own hands; violent clashes followed. At last emergency reinforcements were drafted in and had to use tear gas to break up fighting in the street.
The next day, shops and schools were closed as angry immigrants again raged through the town, smashing windows and setting fire to rubbish bins. According to news reports, in the ensuing riot 67 people were injured 31 immigrants, 19 police and 17 residents
Unexpected guests
As a result, several coach loads of immigrants were bused out of Rosarno to other centres in the south of Italy; others left by train. It is believed that up to 1,128 immigrants left the town. Some of them are now here in Syracuse staying in Padre Carlo's church. We are planning to join with Padre Carlo and his team of volunteers to try and help manage these unexpected guests.
"It has got very cold in the last few days here at night, and it really is freezing in the church building! We went there yesterday for a Bible study. They (the immigrants) only arrived yesterday, and to see them setting up there for the first time in their new environment was so sad. They looked tired from their journey, they looked scared. They looked lost.
BMS Sicily Action Team journal
Above is a photo taken on a mobile phone. It shows 30 young African men sleeping in Padre Carlo's church, on the floor, on mattresses and on the pews. They had nowhere else to go and were too frightened to stay where they were.
On Sunday morning we heard news that, on government orders, the fire brigade had already begun to destroy the shanty towns on Rosarno's outskirts where the immigrants had been living.
"A makeshift home for almost 1,200 immigrants. This is gone. It was completely flattened by the government following. The worst violence in Italy since the second world war (a local description of the events).
BMS Sicily Action Team journal
No respect
Ironically, the patron saint of Rosarno is the Madonna Nera or the Black Madonna of Pathmos, a statue that was found washed up on the beach in the 17th century, and now displayed in the town Duomo (cathedral church).
Sadly, not much reverence or respect was shown to the desperate, flesh and blood, African people whose only crime was to have been caught up in the web of corruption and illegality that is the lot of those who have no legal or social status here in this 'Bel Paese' (Beautiful country).