By Fiorenzo Fioretta, who has been working at Bambinisenzasbarre Ets for twenty years
Between the Opera and San Vittore prisons, both in Milan (Italy), there have been very intense and unpredictable days with events that have caused a lot of agitation and emergency situations for prisoners, including many of “our” fathers.
On 7 December, an inmate escaped from Opera prison (on the eastern outskirts of Milan) using the classic old method of sawing through the bars of his cell and climbing out with knotted sheets. The consequences for the inmates’ lives have been severe and are still unfolding. And here we are with today’s news: the escape has led to significant changes in all prison facilities, as our fathers tell us during the morning.
At the same time, the latest news arrives concerning the San Vittore prison (in the city centre) with two potentially devastating fires during the night and the emergency transfer of 270 prisoners to other prisons in Italy during the night.
Everyone went to the gym for a Game with Mum and Dad that was truly “experienced” with joy and happiness for dads, mums and children (Photo by Andrea Lanzarotto)
Perhaps a “toll-free number” for families is needed to understand how to keep track of prisoners’ movements, and our “yellow telephone” would also be helpful in providing support and encouragement to the families involved and, in turn, reassuring their children.
So, there was widespread agitation, meticulous inspections of the cells, changes in the inmates’ wards, restrictions on extra visiting hours for children, the arrival of new officers, and a visit from the former director.
Despite this very critical context, “our” Game with Mum and Dad was in full swing last Saturday, 13 December, at the Milan Opera prison. But this heavy atmosphere, which was very noticeable, suddenly changed after 11 o’clock. Children transform everything (in their eyes, in ours and in those of many officers).
The second “magical” part of the meeting began, and the children couldn’t wait to meet their dads.
As always, mothers and children were welcomed into our Yellow Space after entering the prison for final considerations about the event, and then everyone went to the gym for a Game with Mum and Dad that was truly “experienced” with joy and happiness for dads, mums and children.
The mothers’ mood is certainly not the same, especially due to the very long wait at the entrance before entering our Yellow Space. Arrival at 8.30-9.00 a.m. with an alarm clock a few hours earlier, then the long wait, tiredness, nervousness and some screaming from the younger children. An hour and a half, two hours of waiting. Uncertainty and few explanations because many officers are “new” and waiting for instructions, after the escape covered by all the Italian media, which change according to the procedures required by various commanders who arrive.
The entrance of so many children certainly transforms the prison, especially the large gym (Photo by Andrea Lanzarotto)
Then there were sufficiently “light” searches, but also, for the first time, for the three Bambinisenzasbarre operators present (Marco and I, as well as Maria, who was busy from 8 a.m. onwards, understanding the day’s news, at the entrance and in the gym) and for the willing scouts, our partners, who will be with us, animating the activities related to the football match with great attention, intelligence and interpersonal skills.
Checks on authorisations (e.g. cameras), checks on the drawing materials brought in (opening of each box of colours and felt-tip pens, fortunately brought in, by coincidence, new, packaged in sealed transparent plastic, if used they are thrown away).
The officers were always quite polite, even if a little disoriented. Many of them have been rotated due to the escape. I have to leave everything behind, from the chain around my neck to my wallet, keys and public transport card.
Being in a large group with their mother and siblings, even if escorted and accompanied by quite a few officers, some in plain clothes and already seen on other occasions, does not diminish the children’s concentration and their desire to meet their father. Then the last corridor and the gate, still with bars, opens.
The entrance of so many children certainly transforms the prison, especially the large gym, and not only because of the number of participants: 15 fathers, 14 mothers and one grandmother, 40 children, but above all because of the children’s ability and naturalness to fully experience four hours of emotions, running, commitment, goals and saves, passes and ball exchanges, with their feet (football) and hands (volleyball), and, above all, hugs, looks of understanding and tenderness, cuddles. Bonds that are strengthened. This is the intention.
The gym was cold, very cold, with no heating, high walls, small windows with bars at the top, from which you could see that it was a sunny day outside (Photo by Andrea Lanzarotto)
And then also eating together at the same table: pizza, sandwiches, desserts and other foods ordered from the prison shop by the dads themselves.
How were the transformed places (when children enter prison, they always transform it) by the children and filled with the affection of the adults?
The gym was cold, very cold, with no heating, high walls, small windows with bars at the top (from which you could see that it was a sunny day outside), bars also at the entrance where we arrived after walking through several corridors, with bars accompanying you on every side. We encountered various materials, such as a warehouse, computer stations and a large table at the entrance (probably for the upcoming Christmas lunch with “star chefs”, we were told, which fortunately the children were not interested in).
Obviously, there are other more specific considerations and reflections to share, on the centrality of children, their needs and rights, our “Spazi Gialli” (Yellow Spaces), our games and workshops.
All of this needs to be reflected on with “new” eyes as much as possible, always identifying with the children’s perspective.
This event has been organised by Italian COPE member Bambinisenzasbarre, a NGO working to protect the rights of children with imprisoned parents in Italy and Europe. GWMD is a project organised across Europe by Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) and made possible with the support of the European Commission and UEFA Foundation for Children. It follows a model created and developed by Bambinisenzasbarre, which works nationwide in Italy. The Project aims to strengthen, maintain and enhance the bond between children and their imprisoned parents, and to generate systemic, child rights–based change across prison systems.
