Vigilante groups

Italy's parliament last week legalized private patrol groups as part of a controversial set of laws aimed at clamping down on crime. Interior Minister Roberto Maroni of the right-wing party Lega Nord has defended the measure.

Maroni said this legislation will help make sure that existing groups adhere to strict regulations: small groups, armed only with mobile phones or walkie-talkies to alert the police.

Giorgio Marchesich, who is in charge of the regional branch of the Volontari Verdi in Trieste said his group was very happy about the new law.

"Now, nobody can accuse us of acting like sheriffs," Marchesich said. "We do this for the good of the citizens. There's a lot of crime around here and we can't live in a police state."

The legislation enables local councils to fund vigilante groups. In Milan, the Milano Sicura said they were planning new patrols in the coming weeks.

"We're having a meeting with the residents of an area full of drug dealing," said member Alessandro Morelli. "They've asked for our help."

Legitimizing vigilantism?

For years, groups of private citizens - known as "ronde" - have been getting together to patrol the streets of Italy's major cities at night. Some Italians have welcomed their presence as a means of discouraging crime.

But critics said groups like these are intimidating and even racist. The police union SAP is among the strongest voices of opposition. Its president Gianni Tonelli said police are concerned it is just a way to mask the lack of police officers on the beat.

"It's a grave error to try to create surrogate law enforcers," Tonelli said. "The government needs to address the real issue: that every 10 police officers who retire are replaced by just two new officers."

Tonelli said he was hopeful the measure will discipline vigilantes, but is worried they won't have the training to deal with situations they encounter.

"We can't be their guardian angels," Tonelli said. Gigi Leri from the police union SILP agreed.

"There's the risk of racist episodes, clashes between political factions, with fights between vigilantes and anti-vigilantes giving us more work not less," Leri said. "Then the risk, particularly in the south, that organized crime groups could infiltrate these institutionalized security networks thereby gaining even stronger territorial power. And we, the state police force, wouldn't be able to do anything about it."

Political implications

Michele Caianiello, professor of criminal law at Bologna University, said the legislation risked being interpreted in a non-democratic way.

According to Caianiello, it was "uncomfortably reminiscent" of the "ronde nere" or Blackshirts - Fascist paramilitary patrols organized by Benito Mussolini after World War One.

"It would have been better to leave this to the spontaneous initiative of local authorities," Caianiello said. "Officially recognizing this way of controlling the territory could give rise to a new kind of association, only apparently private but, in reality, linked to political parties."

He said he feared supporters of the governing local political party would be favored for approval and funding.

The seasoned patroller

Mario Furlan founded his patrol group, the City Angels, in 1994. He said he's concerned about the new squads that have been appearing.

"I'm afraid new groups won't have our humanitarian spirit," Furlan said. "The classic vigilante is a person who goes on the streets to look for an enemy. We go on the streets to look for people to help."

Members of the City Angels receive three months of training in psychology, communication, first-aid and self-defense. Furlan said his squad helped citizens in bad areas.

"People feel safe when we are there," Furlan said. "The homeless feel we are friends and criminals see us as a visual deterrent." But they are not the police and are not only focusing on security, he said.

Author: Dany Mitzman in Bologna (sac)
Editor: Rob Turner