Tomorrow, the area around PalaDozza di Bologna will be locked down from 13.00 while the Euroleague match between Virtus Bologna and Maccabi Tel Aviv, which has been at the center of the controversy, will be played at 20.30.
The Municipality has imposed a parking ban with the forced removal of cars, motorbikes, mopeds and bicycles from 1 pm to midnight (and in any case until they are no longer needed) on all surrounding streets (piazza Azzarita, via Graziano, via Calori, via Nanetti, via Lenzi, via Brugnoli, via Grimaldi, via Giorgio Ercolani, via Riva Reno, via Battistelli, piazza della Resistenza).
Furthermore, a regulation has been signed ordering the removal of any building materials and/or equipment on the tram construction site, in the area between Viale A. Silvani, Via delle Lame, Via Riva di Reno, Via San Felice, Porta San Felice. The work area must be closed by 4pm tomorrow. Schools in the area will close at 3:45 p.m. These provisions concern Istituto Comprensivo 17, via Graziano and via Calori.
“The city is ready, but concerns are still high,” Bologna Mayor Matteo Lepore said ahead of the match. Lepore confirmed that the prefecture and police headquarters have established maximum protection boundaries, with a red zone surrounding the arena, double filters for access, reserved for ticket holders and season ticket holders, as well as special measures “to guarantee the safety of residents, commercial activities and demonstrators”.
“We hope that this protest will be peaceful and that things will go as well as possible – said the Mayor – I have already said that I am very worried: throughout Europe there are strong tensions regarding this issue. The aim is to keep away those who want to harm tomorrow”.
Regarding the decision on where to play the match, “the institutions decided together”, said Lepore, explaining that “the two public order committees had been oriented towards alternative dates or venues. Then the Minister of the Interior publicly stated that, in his opinion, the match should be played. It is clear that the Prefect and the Police Commissioner have changed their orientation”.
The mayor clarified that he was unlikely to issue conflicting regulations: “The minister has equipped prefects and police commissioners with the necessary powers to guarantee safety. The mayor cannot take decisions that differ from this approach.” There was no controversy with the Jewish community: “Now we just need clarity and collaboration to manage these 48 hours well.”
“Local authorities will guarantee” the safety of Bologna residents during the match. These were the only words spoken by the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, who took part in the Confcommercio ‘InCittà’ event on the topic at the Palazzo Re Enzo in Bologna. The Minister met with Mayor Lepore, who took part in the same meeting this morning, but did not delay his speech.
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