Naples mayor ‘sorry’ about U.S. tourist attack

The mayor of Naples has apologized to a U.S. tourist beaten up by a group of locals after he gave chase to two muggers in the southern Italian city.

The tourist tried to pursue thieves who snatched his camera while he photographed a monument. But instead of helping the victim, a group of bystanders grabbed him and beat him up, Naples police said on Wednesday.

“In the turmoil, the tourist was seriously kicked and punched while the two (thieves) fled,” the police said. The suspected thieves, two locals, were later arrested.

The head of the local council condemned the “hateful” incident and said he wanted to apologize personally to the tourist, Matthew Godfrey from Utah. He offered a personal guided tour to show Godfrey a more hospitable side to the city.

“I have officially invited Matthew, who in the meantime has left to continue his travels, to return to Naples soon to eat a pizza together,” Leonardo Impegno said in a statement.

‘An uncivilized image’
Naples Mayor Rosa Russo Iervolino said the action of the locals in protecting the criminals darkened the city’s name.

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“To the American tourist, I say sorry, of course I do,” she was quoted as saying in Corriere della Sera newspaper.

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“To my fellow Neapolitans who attacked him I say their behavior has given an uncivilized image of Naples.”

Foreign tourists are drawn to the city for its history, architecture and position on the bay of Naples at the foot of the volcano Vesuvius, but it is almost as famous for its Camorra mafia syndicate and high rate of petty crime.

Earlier this year, the city’s tourism office offered free plastic watches to hotel guests in the hope they would leave expensive watches behind and prove less of a target to muggers.