Libero Grassi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Libero Grassi
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Libero Grassi
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| Born | 19 July 1924 Catania, Italy
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| Died | 29 August 1991 (aged 67) Palermo, Italy
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| Occupation | Clothing manufacturer |
| Known for | Killed by the Mafia after taking a solitary stand against their extortion demands |
Libero Grassi (born July 19, 1924 – died August 29, 1991) was an Italian clothing maker from Palermo, Sicily. He was killed by the Mafia because he bravely refused to pay their demands for money.
Mr. Grassi wrote a public letter to a local newspaper. In it, he told the criminals that he would no longer pay pizzo. Pizzo is a Sicilian term for "protection money." Sadly, other business owners in Palermo did not join his public stand. Mr. Grassi was shot near his home eight months after writing the letter.
He was born in Catania, Italy. He was married and had a son and a daughter. After his death, his family continued his fight. They supported the Addiopizzo movement, which works against pizzo payments.
What is Pizzo?
Libero Grassi owned the Sigma factory in Palermo. This factory made men's underwear and pajamas. It had about 100 employees. Like many business owners in the city, he soon faced demands to pay "pizzo."
Pizzo is a type of protection racket. It means the Mafia demands money from local businesses. If a business owner refuses to pay, their shop might be vandalized or set on fire. Sometimes, people can even be hurt or killed if they don't pay.
Refusing to Pay Pizzo
In late 1990, Mr. Grassi decided to stop paying pizzo. About half of Palermo's businesses were also refusing to pay around that time. The criminals demanded money "for their poor friends in jail." They also threatened to kill him.
On January 10, 1991, Mr. Grassi wrote an open letter in the Giornale di Sicilia newspaper. It started with "Dear extortionist." In the letter, he spoke out against the Mafia's demands. He publicly announced that he would not pay. On the same day, he told the police the names of the people demanding money. This led to five arrests in March.
The morning after his letter was published, many important people visited his factory. These included the Mayor of Palermo, the prosecutor, and the federal police chief. They came to show their support. Mr. Grassi even received police protection.
He became a national hero in Italy. People saw him as a Sicilian businessman who stood up to the Mafia. He appeared on national TV on April 11, 1991.
However, other shopkeepers and businesses did not show him support. Instead, they criticized him. He became more and more alone. Some even accused him of making Palermo's business world look bad.
In interviews, he spoke out against the Mafia. He also talked about how other business people avoided him. Even customers stopped coming to his store. They were afraid of angering the Mafia, which Mr. Grassi was challenging.
Mr. Grassi once said:
My colleagues have begun to attack me. They say one should not wash dirty clothes in public. But they keep putting up with it. I know they all pay. To me, being scared and working with criminals is the same thing. Some admit they give in out of fear. Others brag about having important connections. These are common attitudes. But I think if everyone worked with the police, reported crimes, and named names, this racket would not last long.
His Death
In early 1991, Mr. Grassi's shop was broken into. The exact amount of money that had been demanded from him was stolen. Soon after, there was an attempt to burn down his shop, but it failed.
Libero Grassi was 67 years old. He was shot three times in the head on August 29, 1991. This happened at 7:30 in the morning on via Vittorio Alfieri in Palermo. He was walking from his home to his car. No one came forward as a witness.
After his murder, 10,000 people marched in the streets to protest. On September 26, 1991, two TV hosts, Michele Santoro and Maurizio Costanzo, dedicated a five-hour TV show to Mr. Grassi. This was a special event, as it was a joint program between public TV (Rai Tre) and private TV (Canale 5). Anti-Mafia judge Giovanni Falcone also took part.
Mr. Grassi's wife, Pina, and their children, Davide and Alice, tried to keep the family business going. Pina remembered, "I was terrified for their safety. Threats continued after Libero's killing. So, we sadly agreed to let a state company run the business, with Davide keeping a share." The company eventually went out of business.
Justice for the Killers
It took some time, but the killers were eventually caught. Mafioso Salvatore "Salvino" Madonia and his father Francesco Madonia were brought to justice. Francesco Madonia was the leader of the Resuttana Mafia family in Palermo.
A Mafia member who turned against the group said that Salvatore Madonia personally killed Mr. Grassi. In October 2006, a large trial took place. Thirty mobsters were found guilty of sixty murders over 25 years. The Madonias were found guilty of killing Libero Grassi.
In 2006, 100 shopkeepers in Palermo publicly said they would not pay extortion to the Mafia. This happened not long after Mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano was arrested. Libero Grassi's widow, Pina, and their children, Davide and Alice, attended public rallies. They spoke out against the Mafia along with the Addiopizzo movement.
His wife and children placed a sign where he was killed on via Vittorio Alfieri. It says:
Here was murdered Libero Grassi, entrepreneur, brave man, killed by the Mafia, by the omertà of the associations of industrialists, by the indifference of parties and absence of the state.
Every year on August 29, people gather at this spot. They remember Libero Grassi's brave act and protest against extortion.
See also
- List of victims of the Sicilian Mafia
