Rome (NEV), October 31, 2020 – “It is a very difficult moment for Naples: it shouldn’t have come to this, people are really exasperated. Violence must certainly be condemned, we have seen some very heavy scenes, but it is a protest that must also be understood”. Thus, in the aftermath of the night of protests and clashes in the Neapolitan capital on October 24, Cordelia Vitiello, vice president of the Consistory of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy (CELI), president of the Evangelical Betania Hospital in Naples, as well as a member of the Council of the Lutheran World Federation (FLM ).
“I do not think, just to be clear, there were only retailers in the square, only shopkeepers frightened by the new restrictions, but it is true that on October 24 a general protest began against the measures announced by governor De Luca – declares Cordelia Vitiello -. The perception is that we citizens of the Campania region are discriminated against, on a national level, with respect to our opportunities as citizens. There is a climate of growing hostility towards politics, even towards those who have had electoral success. People want to work, distance learning in a territory like ours also means profound inequalities in access to school and in the possibility of continuing, or not, to attend lessons. It is obvious that this discomfort is then ridden by many, by those who have an interest in doing so. We are in trouble: for twenty days we have been asking the Region and the competent institutions what we are supposed to do, but we have not yet received concrete answers, regarding the management of this new phase and the contribution we can and want to give – continued Vitiello.
“This second phase, at the moment, is characterized by an even greater confusion than the first one. I’m sorry to say so, but the climate and the perception of citizens are of a great disorganization – concluded Vitellio -. Fortunately, as concerns our community and our daily work, the Lutheran churches around the world support us and have supported us since the first phase, as does the Waldensian Board, which always helps us. They continue to do so, we are gearing up and organizing for the next few weeks, unfortunately the truth is that we are preparing for the worst”.
