Overcrowding, shared spaces, degradation, insufficient law enforcement, and a sense of insecurity that pervades both inside and outside the gates. In Monastir , where the extraordinary reception center for migrants and the hotspot are located, everyday life is tense.
After numerous reports in recent weeks, today's complaint comes from Flavio Tuzi , general secretary of the ANIP-Italia Sicura police union. In a five-page report, he outlines the situation.
"In Monastir, we're no longer just facing an immigration management problem," he writes. "We're facing a security issue that concerns the police, all law enforcement agencies, the center's workers, the citizens of Monastir, Sestu, and other nearby towns, and even the migrants themselves."
Tuzi immediately identifies what the union believes is the root of the problems: the co-location of the Hotspot and the CAS . These two facilities have different functions: the first is dedicated to identification activities and procedures for newly disembarked migrants, while the second is designed to house people enrolled in the reception system. "The two facilities perform different functions and must be physically and functionally separated . For months, we have been asking for adequate fencing, separate entrances, separate routes, and, above all, a safe escape route for law enforcement. Finally, something seems to be moving. But what is being considered today should have been implemented months ago."
Migrants' stay in Monastir and the work of both law enforcement and the staff working in the centers are becoming increasingly difficult : "In recent days, large stones have been thrown at Mobile Unit personnel engaged in service, damaging service vehicles and putting the staff at risk. The deployment of the Armed Forces is necessary for stationary duties and perimeter surveillance . This would free up police personnel for operational, prevention, and public order activities. We cannot simultaneously have a small number of police officers inside the center, personnel engaged in stationary surveillance, and, outside the Center, Monastir, Sestu, and other municipalities in the area that are demanding a greater police presence."
Those living in Monastir and nearby towns are also beginning to experience petty crime . "For some time now, we've been receiving reports of theft, harassment, assault, and damage, incidents involving migrants at the center. We don't criminalize all CAS residents; responsibility lies with individuals and must be determined individually. The constant reports of theft, harassment, and assault are fueling growing exasperation among the population."
And it was precisely in this climate that news and images began circulating of incidents in which someone allegedly began chasing or attacking migrants believed to be responsible for harassment or other illegal behavior. "When citizens begin to feel they have to take justice into their own hands, it means their sense of security has reached an extremely dangerous level."