There’s a new association of courageous citizens in Sicily. It’s called Addiopizzo {Good Bye Pizzo} and it is made up of 7325 people who have decided to buy only from shops and companies that have declared that they are not subject to mafia “protection” or extortion. The first group of 104 companies includes a hotel in Palermo and its owner has already been subject to intimidation.

The pizzo {demand for money in return for protection} is an odious crime. In Sicily it has produced mortification, death, company closure, emigration, and the impossibility to attract investment. The new government must put the word “end” to this shameful activity.
Italia dei Valori is today signing up to Addiopizzo and to show its support for the initiative it will have a permanent feature of displaying on this site the names of the companies that participate. We invite Sicilians to support them.
Furthermore I ask all the party members and supporters in Sicily to give witness to their solidarity with Addiopizzo by signing up to the initiative.