Moroccan-Italian Activist Challenges Ferrara’s “Anti-Maranza” Unit
In Italy, Adam Atik, a Moroccan-born community leader, is challenging the creation of a municipal “anti-maranza” unit in Ferrara. A holder of two university degrees and a master’s degree, he denounces a label that, he says, risks casting certain young people as suspects because of their origins.
“I’m from Ferrara, of Moroccan origin, with two degrees and a master’s.” Adam Atik, 30, is drawing on his own background to respond to the municipality of Ferrara, in northern Italy. Born in Cento, in the province, he chairs the Cittadini del Mondo association, which has spent decades supporting people from immigrant backgrounds.
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His remarks come after the announcement on October 22 of a unit called “Nucleo Anti Maranza” (NAM). Mayor Alan Fabbri wants to bring together municipal police officers, psychologists, social workers, legal experts and security specialists to tackle violence and aggressive behavior by some young people.
But it is the name itself that has angered Adam Atik. In an op-ed published this Monday, November 2, by Estense, he argues that the term “maranza” does not refer to an offense, but to a category of young people often associated with immigration.
The controversy had been fueled a few days earlier by Italian lawmaker Igor Iezzi. Asked about the word’s origins, the League politician suggested it might be a blend of “marocchino,” Italian for Moroccan, and “zanza,” a slang term for a con artist. That etymology remains disputed.
“No young person should be suspected because of their name”
For Adam Atik, the problem goes beyond words. He says Ferrara has fallen from fourth to 91st place in an Italian ranking of social spending on families and minors. In his view, the municipality should devote more resources to youth workers, sports and places where young people can gather.
He points in particular to the situation facing his association, Cittadini del Mondo. After more than 30 years of providing school support and free Italian lessons in premises near the city center, it had to leave last year. The city reportedly offered it a new space four and a half kilometers away.
The mayor advocates a different approach. In his official statement of October 22, Alan Fabbri presents the unit as a response to concerns among families and business owners, combining prevention, social support and police interventions.
A former candidate in the 2024 municipal elections, Adam Atik is calling for the project to be scrapped and its funding redirected to educational programs. He is calling in particular for schools, sports facilities and public spaces to be open outside regular hours.
In his op-ed, he ends with a warning: no young person in Ferrara should be considered a suspect because of their surname or appearance.
