Italian Court Orders €27.9 Million Payment Over Rome's Occupied MAAM Museum

A Rome civil court has ordered the Italian Interior Ministry to pay €27.9 million to property owner Ca.Sa srl for failing to evict the illegally occupied former Fiorucci factory that houses the MAAM (Museum of the Other and Elsewhere). The ruling, issued on July 4, 2018, by Judge Alfredo Matteo Sacco, condemns the decade-long occupation as illegal and subversive. The MAAM's self-appointed director, Giorgio De Finis, was recently appointed curator of the MACRO museum in Rome by Deputy Mayor Luca Bergamo, sparking controversy. Bergamo had previously praised the MAAM as a cultural model despite its illegal status. The court criticized authorities for inadequate prevention and repression of illegal occupations, noting that Rome has over 100 occupied buildings. The decision raises questions about De Finis's suitability for the MACRO role and the city's cultural governance.