Libero Grassi

Libero Grassi (Italian pronunciation: [ˈliːbero ˈɡrassi]; 19 July 1924 – 29 August 1991) was an Italian clothing manufacturer from Palermo, Sicily, who was killed by the Mafia after taking a solitary stand against their extortion demands. The businessman wrote an open letter to the local newspaper informing the extortionists that he was no longer willing to pay pizzo, a Sicilian term for protection money. Other business-owners and shopkeepers in Palermo refused to join his public campaign. Grassi was gunned down in the street near his home eight months after writing the letter.

Grassi was born in Catania, was married, and had a son and daughter. Following his death, his family have continued his campaign, lending their support to the Addiopizzo movement that is against pizzo.

Pizzo demands

Grassi ran the Sigma factory producing men's underwear and pyjamas in Palermo. The company had around 100 employees and a business volume of US$5 million in 1990. Like many businessmen in the city, he was soon subjected to demands to pay "pizzo" or face the consequences. The pizzo – a form of protection racket – is demanded by the Mafia to local businesses and the refusal to pay can mean vandalism or arson attacks on places of business, or even physical harm, including murder, if demands are not met.