Heavy penalties in defence of the decency of the city!

The Associazione Piazza San Marco has always been in the front line of the battle for the decency of and respect for the city. Today’s news, as reported not only by local but also national papers, goes in the direction hoped for by the association and by many Venetians. The Venice city council, at the request of the mayor Luigi Brugnaro, yesterday decided to increase the penalties for violations of the council regulations and ordinances regarding decency and the fight against degeneration in the city. It has thus been decided to increase penalties to the maximum of 450 euros, to be paid immediately given that the local police will be equipped with POS terminals. St Mark’s Square will be especially supervised given that the bans are not only for swimming in the canals but also walking bare-chested around the city, leaving rubbish, climbing onto the monuments, bathing in the minor canals and St Mark’s Basin, and bringing bicycles into the city centre. These are all phenomena already sadly noted by those who work in St Mark’s Square. Now it is hoped that this ‘iron fist’ wanted by the council administration may bring positive results.