Rome: The story of Joe Petrosino, an Italian-American policeman killed by the mafia, comes to life again at the theatre at the Scuola Superiore di Polizia
Homage to the Italian-American policeman killed by the mafia in 1909. The show, staged by the company "Tènemos Recinti Teatrali", promotes the culture of legality
Rome: The story of Joe Petrosino, an Italian-American policeman killed by the mafia, comes to life again at the theatre at the Scuola Superiore di Polizia
La State Police il 25 March hosted a Rome, at International Study Center “Boris Giuliano” of the High School of via Pier della Francesca, the Lecce company “We Have Theatrical Enclosures” to pay homage and remember the figure of Joe Petrosino, Italian-American policeman killed by the mafia.
In the presence of the Prefect Raffaele Grassi, Deputy Director General of Public Security – Central Director of Criminal Police, thework interpreted, conceived and written by Dr. Maria Francesca Mariano, GIP at the court of Lecce, and which tells the story of the policeman who disappeared prematurely.
Joe Petrosino is a Italian-American boy who realized his dream of becoming a policeman.
After being party in 1873 with his family from Padula, in the province of Salerno, for the United States He began working as a shoeshine boy on the street in front of the New York Police Department.
He began to gather information on the criminal affairs of the mafia in Little Italy and to collaborate with the agents.
They were the very sense of justice andpride in Italian origins which led him to want to fight against the “mafia” stereotype associated with the Italian community and against those who contributed to fueling this stereotype.
Thanks to his determination and his abilities he managed to wear the uniform, thwarting a Black Hand ambush against the Chief of Police of New York.
Joe made his way up to form a friendship and esteem with the then Police Commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt, which then, in 1901, he became President of the United States.
His career thus experienced a rapid rise until he obtained a promotion to the rank of Lieutenant. To further investigate the Black Hand followed an investigative lead in Sicily.
His work was, unfortunately, interrupted when he was killed by gunshots at the age of 49 by the mafia in Palermo on March 12, 1909.
Today, his memory remains in the sense of justice that inspires the work of the women and men of the State Police.
The theatrical show aims to promote the culture of legality and offer food for ethical reflection on the topic.
Among those present also Nino Melito Petrosino great-grandson of the slain policeman.
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