“Sunday is drawing to a close, just over an hour to midnight. For the people of my parish, there is no peace,” wrote the Caivano parish priest on Facebook.

“They came back on their motorbikes. Faces covered. Heavy weapons in their hands. They dashed through the streets, shooting wildly. It’s terror.”

In total 19 shots were fired in the Parco Verde neighbourhood, but no one was hurt.

Parco Verde came into national consciousness at the end of August after two young cousins were allegedly gang raped there.

On August 31 Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Don Patriciello during her visit to Caivano and discussed the issues facing the area.

“The main message that we want to give is that there must be no criminal enclaves and it is a message that we give here, but the Parco Verde of Caivano is not the only territory that is in these conditions,” said Meloni.

“There are many territories like this and the message is addressed to the many Caivanos of Italy.”

President of the parliamentary anti-mafia commission Chiara Colosimo said Monday she hoped for a unanimous response “from our best people” following the latest incident.

“I spoke to Don Patriciello again tonight. I often speak to him so that he does not feel alone,” said the senator for Meloni's Brothers of Italy (FdI) party on X.

“He has a faith that can do more than any man.

“But in these hours after the umpteenth demonstration of mafia arrogance that I strongly condemn, I feel the moral duty to declare him all my affection and closeness,” she continued.

“I hope for a unanimous response from our best people, there certainly is and will be a response from the parliamentary anti-mafia commission,” concluded Colosimo.

President of the parliamentary anti-mafia commission Chiara Colosimo. (Photo: ANSA)

On Monday Don Patriciello told Rtl 102.5 it was the third episode of its kind since Meloni visited Caivano on August 31.

“The neighbourhood is terrified, it takes little to die from a stray bullet,” said the priest.

“In recent days the police have been doing their utmost, but these people drive at the speed of light, everything happens so quickly and then they run off,” he continued.

“I read it as a challenge to the State. It is as if they wanted to say that they are not afraid of the State, this is the key interpretation.”

ANSA