3 days ago
Homeless banned from begging in Italian beauty spot of Portofino
With its pastel-coloured townhouses, rolling hills and celebrity visitors, Portofino has long been known as a chic playground for the wealthy. However, the Ligurian destination is now making headlines for its attempt to erase signs of poverty from its picture-postcard streets.
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.
