The Rosarno Revolt: Toward Political Mobilization for Immigrants?

Abstract

“Rosarno: Immigrant revolt, hundreds of cars damaged” was the alarming headline in La Repubblica on 7 January 2010. An immigrant protest and ensuing episodes of violence in the small town of Rosarno in Calabria in southern Italy were followed with intense interest by the national and international media and prompted a heated public debate in Italy. Upcoming regional elections and shared political responsibility for immigration resulted in politicians blaming their opponents for the disorder. Minister of the Interior Roberto Maroni’s immediate response was to maintain that the events were the result of too much tolerance toward undocumented immigrants. Following the discovery that the majority of migrants involved were legally resident in Italy, the government subsequently emphasized the role of inadequate labor market controls and organized crime.