Homeless banned from begging in Italian beauty spot of Portofino
The town council banned begging in key areas, including the historic centre, port and main tourist streets, during this year's high season in an attempt to protect tourists from being pestered. The measure runs from July 14 to September 30.
However, a voluntary association representing homeless people has given the council 15 days to scrap the rule or face legal action. 'Begging is not a crime, and in Italy it cannot be outlawed,' said Antonio Mumulo, president of Avvocato di Strada (Street Lawyer), which filed a formal complaint on Friday.
Savannah and LeBron James are among the celebrities who have recently visited the idyllic town
OLIVER PALOMBI/THE MEGA AGENCY
Portofino has only about 400 residents but receives up to 12,000 visitors a day in peak season, with recent celebrity sightings including Madonna and Rihanna.
The ban, which was brought in by Matteo Viacava, the mayor, suggests there is a correlation between rising summer tourist numbers and the presence of beggars in the town.
As well as banning non-threatening begging in the designated areas, the measure also prohibits aggressive or repeated requests for money anywhere in Portofino. It forbids lying or sitting on the ground, on benches or under porticoes, as well as loitering with food in public spaces. Rule-breakers risk fines from €25 to €500.
The text of the council resolution claims beggars cause 'fear and apprehension among citizens and visitors' and says the ban will help protect both locals and tourists from 'exploitation'.
With visits from yachts bigger than houses, Potrofino has both wealth extremes
ALAMY
Critics, however, say it criminalises poverty. 'Portofino has declared war on poor people,' wrote Andrea Orlando, a regional councillor for the Democratic Party and former labour minister, on social media.
Avvocato di Strada also argued the ban is unconstitutional and breaches national law, citing court rulings that overturned similar rules in other Italian cities, including Verona.
'There is a growing mentality that poverty is a personal failing that must be punished,' said Mumulo. 'But poverty is often the result of life's accidents. It is wrong to punish people for being poor.'
A census by Italy's national statistics agency in 2021 counted more than 96,000 homeless people nationwide, up from about 50,000 seven years earlier.
Viacava did not respond to interview requests.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
13 minutes ago
- Times
Dele Alli looking for new club after being told he is not in Como's plans
Dele Alli has been told he no longer features in the plans of Serie A side Como and is looking for a new club. The 29-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur and England midfielder did not travel with his team-mates to Marbella, Spain for a pre-season camp and has reportedly been training instead at Como's base in Mozzate, northern Italy, with other players who have been advised their futures lie elsewhere. Reports in Italy suggesting that he is considering retirement are understood to be wide of the mark, with Dele keen to continue rebuilding his career at a new team. Dele joined Como, who are coached by the former Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, in January on an 18-month contract after his release by Everton. He has struggled with fitness issues but returned as a substitute in March, during an away game at AC Milan, after more than two years without a competitive appearance. However, he was sent off ten minutes into his return for a challenge on his former England team-mate, Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Dele initially received a yellow card which was upgraded to a red after a VAR review. When the referee, Matteo Marchetti, eventually showed Dele the red card, Milan's Kyle Walker, who played with Dele for both England and Tottenham, pleaded with the official not to send him off. That match has proven to be Dele's one and only appearance for Como. Dele's previous competitive appearance came for Besiktas in February 2023. He had moved to the Turkish club on loan from Everton, but the deal was impacted by injury. That summer, he checked into a rehabilitation centre in the United States, in an effort to overcome an addiction to sleeping pills. JONATHAN MOSCROP/GETTY IMAGES In July 2023, he spoke bravely about the childhood traumas that had later impacted his career and his life in a raw interview with The Overlap. He revealed that, as a child, he had been sexually abused and that at the age of eight, he had been dealing drugs. Dele expressed his ambition to return to playing and confirmed he was receiving off-field support. He spent six weeks in the United States and returned to Everton, where he continued his rehabilitation from a groin injury. His contract expired in July 2024, although he continued to train with the club as he worked his way back to full fitness. Dele began his career at MK Dons and then spent seven years at Tottenham, where he made 269 appearances and scored 67 goals. He has been capped 37 times by England, scoring three goals.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Lookman accuses Atalanta of 'broken promises'
Nigeria winger Ademola Lookman says he has handed in a transfer request at Atalanta after accusing the club of "breaking promises" to 27-year-old, a reported target for Serie A rivals Inter Milan, said he had reached an agreement with the club's board that he could leave if a "fair" offer arrived this the England-born winger says Atalanta have reneged on that promise after "receiving an offer in alignment to what I believe had been discussed"."I feel I have no choice but to speak out for what I believe is right and I feel that enough is enough," Lookman wrote on social media."I can confirm I have now handed in a formal transfer request." Lookman said Atalanta were "blocking the opportunity" of him leaving the club "for reasons I do not understand". The Nigeria international joined Atalanta from RB Leipzig in scored his first career hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final victory against Bayer Leverkusen in has scored 52 goals in 117 appearances for the Italian side. Atalanta have been contacted for comment.
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Tragedy as ‘fit and healthy' volleyball player, 20, found dead at swimming pool after graduation party at Italian villa
A YOUNG volleyball player has been found dead in a swimming pool after a graduation party with pals at an Italian villa. Simona Cinà, 20, is said to have drowned in a pool with her face up at a private residence near Palermo. 4 4 Cinà, said to be a fit and healthy volleyball player, was at a graduation party hosted by pals at the rented house. Some 80 young men and women were at the bash, and a lot of alcohol was said to be served. The partygoers reportedly alerted emergency services after finding Cinà's lifeless body in the pool. However, mystery has deepened over her death after criminal lawyer Gabriele Giambrone said the events at the party seemed strange to her, according to L'unione Sarda. She said: "No one saw or heard anything, yet some were still wet, a sign they'd just gotten out of the pool. "How is it possible they didn't notice anything?" The lawyer said that initially Cinà's parents were not alerted about the situation. She said it was only when her mum called her cell phone to check up on her, a young boy answered, saying her daughter was ill. Her mum and dad then rushed to the party house, only to find her dead. Ms Giambrone said that another key mystery was the party scene, which had zero evidence of alcohol, even though the invitation suggested there alcohol would be served at the party. The lawyer said: "The house was clean and there was no trace of alcohol. "It seems strange [because] the invitation sent to guests on WhatsApp guaranteed 'we want to keep you hydrated' with alcohol symbols next to it. "Yet when we arrived, there were only plastic bags with empty water bottles inside. Why was everything removed?" She added that Simona was a "health-conscious person" and was very careful about her diet, suggesting she may not have consumed any alcohol. Investigative authorities also found blood at the scene, which is now being investigated. One of the partygoers reportedly claimed that they accidentally hurt themselves during the bash. Cops are said to be conducting a DNA test to identify the blood sample. An investigation into the case continues.
