Living under around-the-clock police protection is a tragedy. Italy has more journalists in this situation than any other western country. This is because Italy has the most powerful and dangerous criminal organisations in the world. But instead of freeing journalists from the dangers they face, Matteo Salvini, the interior minister, threatens them.

By raising the possibility of removing my police escort, Salvini is signalling my place in the long list of his enemies.

His enemies are the Italians of the south, the Italians he does not deal with and will never do. His enemies are the Africans living in Italy, the Indians living in Italy, the Pakistanis living in Italy. His enemies are girls and boys born in Italy to foreign parents. His enemy is the Roma community, all the Roma. His enemies are those foreigners who he wants to kick out of Italy and those Italians who no doubt Salvini would want to kick out, but who have to stay. Among these Italians forgotten by politics and institutions, is me.

So Salvini, through his threats, has placed me exactly where I belong. I am one of them and I’m proud of that status.

Words are important. The words of the minister of the interior are mafia-type words. The mafias threaten. Salvini is threatening me.

Salvini talks about money. He says he wants to save money by removing my police protection. Salvini should start talking about the frozen bank accounts of his League party. I’ve just seen on the social media a hashtag in my solidarity: #savianononsitocca, (#noonetouchessaviano). Thank you for this support, but I would like to make it clear that I am only a means for Salvini to destroy the rule of law.

It would be easy for me today to fight fire with fire, but I do not want to. But nor do I want to turn the other cheek. I am not Christ, I am not a sacrificial lamb. I am not seeking martyrdom.

I’m not afraid of Salvini. In recent years I have faced the hatred of people belonging to the mafia and the ‘Ndrangheta. I have faced the hatred of South American narcos. I am not scared by a fool who was afraid even of travelling too far south in Italy until a few years ago.

We have to talk today in Italy, we have to discuss the situation. But not with Salvini: he is a buffoon and talking to buffoons is a waste of time.

Salvini wants to win by threatening. Italians of my stamp want to convince through communication, by talking. We must talk to the people of the League party who are horrified by the words and actions of their leader. We must talk to the parties which allied during the elections with Salvini; to those who entered into coalition with Salvini; and to those who are on the receiving end of a man who cannot do anything but threaten.

This unscrupulous, cynical man must not be allowed to arm (literally) the forces of intolerance.

Those who remain silent now will be guilty for ever.

• Roberto Saviano is the author of Gomorrah, a book and TV series about the Italian mafia