On the night of May 27, 1993, at 1:04 a.m., a car bomb exploded near the historic Uffizi Gallery, killing five people and injuring dozens more. The mafia attack on via dei Georgofili claimed the lives of the entire Nencioni family—Fabrizio, Angela, their daughters Caterina (9 years old) and baby Nadia—as well as architecture student Dario Capolicchio. Thirty-two years later, Florence continues to mourn and demand full truth and justice.
This year’s commemorations culminate in a nighttime ceremony at the exact hour of the explosion, held at the site of the bombing. The tribute is preceded by a public gathering and a silent procession from Piazza della Signoria. Local authorities, survivors, families of the victims, and students joined in remembrance, reiterating that the massacre remains an open wound in the city’s conscience.
“Our duty is not just to remember,” said Luigi Dainelli, president of the association for the victims and brother-in-law of Fabrizio Nencioni. “Memory must be tied to the pursuit of truth. We know the judicial facts, but historical truth has yet to be fully accepted. Too many questions remain unanswered, and we fear that those who acted in the shadows could still pose a threat to democracy.”
Vice-president Daniele Gabbrielli echoed these concerns, emphasizing that beyond the mafia’s responsibility, others may have aided the attack. “The risk,” he said, “is that the same forces could once again attempt to poison our democratic life.”
Florence Mayor Sara Funaro called the attack a “cowardly and unforgivable crime” that permanently scarred the city. “Firenze still cries for its lost children,” she said, naming the young victims. The city remains committed to fighting organized crime in all its forms.
Tuscany’s Governor Eugenio Giani emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant. “Tuscany has learned from that night: we are not immune from infiltration,” he said. He praised the work of past magistrates and pointed to recent investigations in Prato as a reminder that mafia threats still linger beneath the surface.
The association of victims continues to focus on education and outreach in schools, underlining how essential it is to transmit memory to younger generations. “As time passes,” said Gabbrielli, “we must ensure that remembrance becomes a tool of awareness. There can be no memory without truth.”
The Georgofili bombing was one of a series of mafia attacks that targeted cultural and civic symbols across Italy in the early 1990s, including in Rome and Milan. Despite convictions and public acknowledgments—including a 2023 statement by Italy’s president that hinted at involvement from deviant elements of the state—many still call for complete transparency.
Today, a bronze sculpture by artist Mario Ceroli stands at the site of the explosion, next to the rebuilt Torre dei Pulci, as a permanent memorial to the victims. The artwork, shaped like a charred olive tree, symbolizes both the pain of the loss and the resilience of life and justice.
Florence, with its wounded heart, remains united in remembering the innocent lives lost and in demanding justice—not only for the past, but to safeguard the future.
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