By: V4 Agency
Homeless and illegal migrants are occupying an increasing segment of public land in Milan. The migrants engage in drug trafficking, sell alcohol and control a network of prostitutes, according to the lawmakers of the Lega and Brothers of Italy parties, who visited the city’s many public parks and spaces.
“Citizens condemn the plight of the city’s parks that have been overrun by drunken and drug-addicted migrants. For years, this part of the city has been left to decay due to City Hall’s blindness. Citizens feel hostage in their own homes. They have no opportunity to relax in the large green area. Residents have repeatedly asked the municipality to fence off Trotterino Park and ban the use of the area at night,” says Mr Truppo, a representative of the Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia) party.
The party has also filed a public complaint with the municipality, drawing attention to the fact that the homeless continue to sell alcohol in the park and that broken bottles often end up around the benches. The situation is caused by the fact that supermarkets around the square don’t sell alcohol.
“I’ve been documenting the ongoing deterioration of these areas for weeks to highlight the gravity of the situation to both the city administration and the people,” Riccardo Truppo said. He stressed the need for intervention from the mayor, who has powers to instruct police to clear the area.
Meanwhile, migrants are selling heroin in broad daylight in another suburb of Milan. Earlier, the district’s left-wing leadership had introduced some changes to create better living conditions for people in the area. Despite that, Rogoredo remains one of the most problematic areas in an around the city. It is also one of the largest areas in Italy occupied by migrants and controlled by criminal organisations, Lega party MEP Silvia Sardone has said.
“The new ‘heroin park’ is at the end of Rogoredo Road, on the border of the Roma camp. During my inspection I conducted in the area, I found that drug trafficking has not been eliminated, although Milan’s left-wing leadership was proud to describe the programme as a great success, which would lead to the rebirth and reconstruction of the area,” Silvia Sardone said.
She added that despite the measures, many still frequent the park to buy drugs, and some have even set up camp there, living in an area surrounded by garbage and used syringes.
“Citizens complain of high levels of crime and are afraid to walk the streets in the area, especially in the evening. Therefore, I call on the municipality of Milan to take immediate measures to prevent access to the area, which would only require the construction of a fence at a length of a few metres. Quick intervention is needed before the phenomenon causes even greater problems for local residents”, Ms Sardone said.
An old house located a few steps from the train station poses another problem in the neighbourhood around Rogoredo Road. It was here that Silvia Sardone met a young girl, accompanied by some migrants, who honestly explained how to make heroin and told her that she only needed to give them a call to get some drugs.
“This is a horror story right from Milan about a neighbourhood that the city management claims to have rebuilt and cleared of crime,” Silvia Sardone pointed out.
“The least authorities could do is to prevent the horrors that have taken place in this house from being repeated. In one instance, police found a young pregnant woman in the building who had been raped multiple times and then left on her own. A lot needs to be done in and around Rogoredo to restore the dignity of residents without wasting more time,” the MEP of the Lega party continued.
“The mayor and his council should stop claiming that everything is fine in the neighbourhood. We’ve had enough of lies, Milan and its surrounding areas deserve respect,” she said, addressing her words to Mayor Beppe Sala.
Silvia Sardone also visited Porta Venezia, where anyone can buy drugs or hire prostitutes from illegal migrants at any time of the day.
“We often talk about the worsening plight of Milan’s suburbs, but we rarely speak about the city centre being occupied by migrants and dealers… as if there were no problems. On the contrary. The situation in Lombardy’s capital is grave. Homeless migrants can be found in Duomo Square as well as in shopping streets and around clubs. Drugs are easy to buy anywhere in Milan, especially in places that are frequented by young people and have slipped out of police control. This is what happens, for example, in Porta Venezia district, where illegal immigrants are widely known for selling illicit drugs. Journalist Vittorio Brumotti, who’s documented the violations in this area, was also beaten here,” the politician recalled.
The parks around Porta Venezia and the Indro Montanelli Gardens are the largest green stretches in the city used by parents and children, joggers and all those who want to relax in downtown Milan. However, this central part of Milan, the area between the fashion district and the central station, has been taken over by drug dealers and criminal gangs.
Over the years, the area has become the scene of repeated stabbings and brawls, she said, adding that – as a result – local residents and shop owners have signed a petition to request an increased police presence on the streets. Despite the signature drive, however, nothing has changed.
Most illegal migrants who gather in the parks to sell drugs already have a criminal history. “I wonder how many of these drug dealers have been prosecuted or expelled from the country? If laws were enforced more strictly, problems related to drug trafficking in Milan could be solved,” said Max Bastoni, the regional and municipal councillor of Lega’s local organisation in Lombardy.