Alghero and Bari confront escalating urban waste and public disorder

In Alghero, the public‑interest group Suolo Pubblico Bene Comune documented abandoned furniture, sofas, bags of rubbish and unattended recycling bins obstructing historic streets near the Cathedral campanile and other landmarks. The committee sent a photo‑filled dossier to Mayor Raimondo Cacciotto, his deputy Francesco Marinaro and the relevant municipal departments, demanding immediate patrols by the local police, inspections by the ecology office and stricter penalties—including urban bans—for those responsible.

In Bari, municipal councillor Luca Bratta reported that a man climbed a pillar of the Corso Italia viaduct, defecated and tossed used tissues onto the road below. Bratta described the area as plagued for years by drug dealing, prostitution, assaults and makeshift shelters, calling the episode “disgusting and shameful.” He thanked the local police for their quick response and wrote to the mayor and the railway police chief urging urgent measures to restore safety and dignity to the neighbourhood.

Both incidents underline a growing pattern of public space neglect in Italian cities, with officials pressing for stronger enforcement, cleaning actions and preventative patrols to curb urban decay.