An Italian anti-poverty charity has accused the mayor of a popular coastal village of “waging a war on the poor” by introducing a new ban on all kinds of begging. Matteo Viacava, mayor of Portofino, announced in May a clampdown on people asking for money on the streets of the tourist hotspot during the peak holiday season. The regulations, which came into effect on July 14 and will remain in place until September 30, have been heavily criticised by an anti-poverty association, which accused Mr Viacava of not discriminating between harassing and non-harassing begging.
Italy’s Avvocato di Strada (National Association of Street Lawyers) also threatened to lodge legal action against the rules unless they are revoked or amended within 15 days. In a formal notice filed on Friday, the group said the mayor was “waging war on the poor” and punishing “the very condition of poverty”.
“In Italy’s most posh municipality, there’s an ordinance in effect that prohibits any kind of begging, even not harassing [kinds],” Antonio Mumolo, president of the association, told The Independent.
“This is an unlawful ordinance that must be withdrawn or amended. We’ve given the mayor 15 days to do so; otherwise, we’ll take legal action. In Italy, it cannot be a crime to reach out and ask for food.”
Portofino, a small coastal hamlet with only around 400 residents, welcomes up to 12,000 holidaymakers from around the world every summer.
Mr Viacava claimed that the new regulations would address a correlation between a rise in begging in the Italian hotspot and the spike in footfall from wealthy tourists during the summer months.
Alongside a ban on non-threatening begging in parts of Portofino, the measures also prohibit lying or sitting on the ground or under porticoes, as well as loitering with food in public places, with penalties including fines of up to €500 (£433).
It follows the overturning of similar anti-begging regulations in Italian cities including Verona, where officials repealed its 200-year-old Vagrancy Act earlier this year, ending the threat of imprisonment or a fine on those experiencing homelessness.
The Express has contacted the Portofino Mayor’s office for comment.