“The problem is that we had too many migrants and we lost the spirit of openness there was initially,” said Trifoli.
Former mayor Domenico “Mimmo” Lucano encouraged migrants and refugees to come to the village to counter a gradual decline of inhabitants and workers and show how migrant integration could be done.
But now he is no longer even a member of the town council after his left-backed list lost in the elections, and he has been barred from the town.
Colourful, multi-ethnic murals can still be seen on walls, testimony to the experiment that took place here and the hopes for migrant integration it spawned in Italy and beyond, before it failed amid alienated locals and allegations of fraud.
“They were fighting among themselves, they didn’t want the crucifix, or the creche,” Falchi said of the migrants.
“It’s not racism, it’s just that this is our home. We welcome them and then they make problems.”
Locals are reluctant to talk about the past or discuss the predicament of the village, which, like so many in Calabria is seeing its youth leave in search of work as the elderly slowly die off.
“People wanted things to change. After 15 years of talking only about welcoming and refugees, they got tired,” said mayor Trifoli.
“Taking in refugees gave Riace prestige around the world but its inhabitants lost interest.”