Ottawa Citizen

Social unrest ‘exploding’ in Italy, say politician­s

- NICK SQUIRES

ROME • Italian politician­s have warned of civil unrest in the country’s poorer regions as the coronaviru­s lockdown is set to be extended until at least Easter.

It came as another 812 victims in the country died, taking its overall death toll past 11,500 — by far the most of any country and accounting for more than a third of the global total. However, although the number of people infected passed 101,000, the daily increase of 4,050 was the lowest since March 17.

In Sicily, cases were reported of people refusing to pay for their shopping, insisting they had no money after three weeks of not working. There were standoffs between supermarke­t staff and shoppers in Palermo and Catania.

Armed police were sent to Palermo’s three largest supermarke­ts as calls went out on social media for a campaign of looting and attacks on police.

NOBODY WILL BE LEFT ALONE. WE NEED TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING THE MOST.

It underlined the acute strain Italy is under after its government closed all but essential shops, businesses and industry in a desperate fight against the contagion. There were fears the virus could spread from the worst-hit north to the more underdevel­oped and dysfunctio­nal south of the country.

On the weekend, Giuseppe Conte, the prime minister, announced a $625 million food voucher scheme to help struggling families.

“Nobody will be left alone. We need to help those who are struggling the most,” he said, pledging that “the government won’t look the other way.”

Regional politician­s said help was needed urgently. Leoluca Orlando, the mayor of Palermo, warned: “If help from the government arrives in two weeks — and another two weeks is needed to distribute it — then we run a big risk. The distress will turn into violence.”

Social unrest was “exploding” across the south and could spread to the north, he said, calling the owners of bed and breakfasts, travel agents and gym instructor­s “the new poor.”

In the south, there were fears that the economic downturn would be exploited by mafia groups like the Camorra in Naples, Cosa Nostra in Sicily and the ‘Ndrangheta in Calabria.

With failing businesses desperate for credit, mafia organizati­ons are likely to offer loans at exorbitant rates, or buy legitimate businesses with the proceeds of the drugs trade.

The Daily Telegraph

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