Don Luigi Scarlino calls Rozzano vigilance 'ronde, not presidi di legalità'

Don Luigi Scarlino, who leads youth ministry for the Discepoli di Emmaus pastoral community, described recent neighborhood patrols in Rozzano as vigilante rounds rather than efforts to uphold the law.

The comments follow several incidents of private justice in the Aler district, a residential area near Milan struggling with drug dealing. On September 16, a woman was attacked by a man of foreign origin, after which bystanders beat him. On September 17, Carabinieri identified two brothers, aged 32 and 33, for assaulting a man of foreign origin who was walking while intoxicated. These events prompted residents to patrol the streets to find and report suspected drug dealers.

Scarlino argued that instead of hunting foreigners or dealers, the community should seek structural solutions through meetings to establish legitimate legal safeguards. The Ministry of the Interior has classified Rozzano as a red zone since April, requiring increased police presence.