In this current harsh world, let's warm a few hearts remembering the events of 7-8 March 1991, when the 90,000 people of Brindisi woke up to find 25,000 Albanians roaming the streets of their town. For perspective, that's roughly equivalent to 25k people suddenly landing in Hastings [Thread] >> 1 - ThreadSky

nickwhithorn.bsky.social • 2 days ago

In this current harsh world, let's warm a few hearts remembering the events of 7-8 March 1991, when the 90,000 people of Brindisi woke up to find 25,000 Albanians roaming the streets of their town. For perspective, that's roughly equivalent to 25k people suddenly landing in Hastings [Thread] >> 1

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tuneberryjam.bsky.social•1 day ago

📌

olli1001.bsky.social•2 days ago

as always, thanks for sharing Nicholas. I have never heard of that but got a bit water in my eyes

bobbobalina.bsky.social•2 days ago

I had no idea this happened. What a humane man, what compassionate people

mary112024.bsky.social•2 days ago

Oh, I remember this.

hugh-c-mcbride.bsky.social•2 days ago

I'd never heard of this before. Thank you so much for sharing it here, @nickwhithorn.bsky.social.

nickwhithorn.bsky.social•2 days ago

Thank you for reading.

monterossino.bsky.social•2 days ago

Lovely story.

cecilew.bsky.social•1 day ago

Thank you for sharing. Love and appreciation for the people of Brindisi. <3

thewonderingmind.bsky.social•1 day ago

📌

gwynnravenfire.bsky.social•2 days ago

Thank you for this story. I'm now crying.

nickwhithorn.bsky.social•2 days ago

Thank you for reading.

nickwhithorn.bsky.social•2 days ago

At 10 a.m. on Thursday 7 March 1991, the cargo ship 'Lirja' enters the port of Brindisi carrying 5,000 Albanians fleeing their homeland. They'd taken over the ship in the port of Durrës and forced the crew to sail to Italy. At noon, another ship 'Tirana' arrives carrying 6,000 >> 2

nickwhithorn.bsky.social•2 days ago

In the afternoon, yet another ship, 'Apollonia', along with several fishing boats. Then, in the evening, the final ship, 'Legend'. Italian Coast Guard ships offshore decide not to intervene and block the vessels as they are all in precarious condition and dangerously overloaded >> 3

nickwhithorn.bsky.social•2 days ago

Any intervention to push back the ships could result in them capsizing and thousands of people drowning, so they are let through. As they arrive in the port, people make the sign of victory and shout "Italia, Italia!" >> 4

nickwhithorn.bsky.social•2 days ago

As soon as the ships dock, desperate people shin down the mooring ropes or jump into the water to swim ashore. The dockside is packed with dirty, hungry, shivering men, women and children. It is very cold & a light rain is falling >> 5

nickwhithorn.bsky.social•2 days ago

The Italian state is totally unprepared for this emergency and local authorities are left to cope alone. Red Cross volunteers hand out food parcels and plastic sheeting to shelter from the rain but supplies are limited and they are swamped. Many people are suffering from dysentery >> 6

nickwhithorn.bsky.social•2 days ago

During the night pressure grows among the refugees to get out of the overcrowded dock and, once they start to push their way out or climb the fences, the Police and Carabinieri on duty sensibly do nothing to stop them but try to regulate the flow of people to avoid a dangerous stampede >> 7

rickypru.bsky.social•2 days ago

Me lo ricordo perfettamente, Nicholas. Avevo 13 anni. Dai paesi vicini organizzammo macchinate con cibo e vestiti.
Un'altra Italia, un altro tempo.
Peccato non ricordare cosa siamo stati.

evenyc.bsky.social•1 day ago

😭😭😭

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