It’s time to declare it: ATTENZIONE PICKPOCKET! is the meme of summer 2023

These videos of a woman calling out pickpockets in Venice are now the best memes.

I have seen all your memes, and as the judge of all things meme*, I would like to declare a winner: ATTENZIONE PICKPOCKET IS THE MEME OF SUMMER 2023.

(*Not a real thing, also not a real award, but stick with me.)

There’s been a lot to love, from Barbenheimer memes to Lionel Messi at at Publix to the awesomeness that is the Las Vegas Sphere and its memes.

But, no: The award goes to a 57-year-old in Venice named Monica Poli. Per a New York Times interivew that dropped, “She is part of a group known as the Cittadini Non Distratti — the undistracted citizens — who wander the city shouting at people whom they believe to be thieves plucking wallets, passports and other items from the pockets of passers-by.”

And her voice screaming ATTENZIONE PICKPOCKET! ATTENZIONE BORSEGGIATRICI! at people trying to steal from tourists — who run away and hide their faces — is the best … and so are the memes: