Unknown individuals set fire to the San Nikolaus, a monument boat installed in Parco Pitagora, Crotone (Calabria, Italy). Created by artist Massimo Sirelli, this artwork transformed the wreck of a makeshift boat into a symbol of hospitality towards migrants and life.

The fire was set at dawn on May 20 using a garbage can full of waste as a starter, placed under the hull.

In recent weeks, other fires and damages had been reported, such as burned benches and uprooted plants.

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Surveillance cameras have been off for years

The perpetrators entered easily through one of the many holes in the fence of the green area. The alarm was raised by some residents in the area.

A fire brigade team from the Provincial Command of Crotone arrived on the scene. To gain access, the firefighters had to cut the chain that had kept the entrance gate closed due to frequent acts of vandalism.

Additionally, Parco Pitagora lacks a functioning surveillance system: the existing cameras have been off for years.

The monument boat was inaugurated on April 13. It is the wreck of a boat that brought a group of 12 migrants to Crotone in March 2020.

Commissioned by the #ioresto association, the wreck was transformed into a work of art by Sirelli. With his colorful style, he made it a hymn to life, painting it with hundreds of polka dots in twelve different colors, representing the twelve people who arrived in Italy on that boat.

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Condemnation from the mayor and the Jobel Consortium

"Jackals and ignoble beings": this is how the mayor of Crotone, Vincenzo Voce, described the perpetrators of the act.

"That boat is a symbol of life, and someone wants to destroy it. Today, we all lose, the city loses. We will file a complaint and I hope the authorities will identify those responsible. If they think they are targeting the Administration, they have understood nothing," he added.

The Jobel Consortium, which manages Parco Pitagora, described the incident as an act of intimidation. This is the third fire set within a few weeks.

"An artistic work that represents a hymn to hospitality, resilience, and the generosity of the Crotone community, always ready to lend a hand, has been attacked. These are values that Jobel has always promoted," the Consortium stated.

"For this reason, questioning whether there is someone behind these acts of vandalism who does not appreciate the development promoted within this common good, we demand greater protection for those who serve the community in a spirit of solidarity," it concluded.

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