An offer they could not refuse: Fury in Sicily as mafia forcibly close shops and bring city to a standstill for mobster’s funeral procession

Palermo was disrupted when shopkeepers in the city’s largest market were reportedly made to close their shutters as a funeral procession for Emanuele Rubino passed through. The display, which included supporters on scooters, fireworks and flares, prompted anger among residents and renewed concern about the public influence of the Sicilian mafia.

Rubino, 36, was linked to Cosa Nostra and was known for extorting migrant business owners. He was serving a prison sentence over the attempted murder of Gambian migrant Yusupha Susso in 2016, but had been moved to house arrest for medical reasons; he died earlier this month. Mayor Roberto Lagala condemned the scenes and said police prohibited the procession from continuing after being notified.