Mayor waves it off

Politician wants €500 fine for kissing outdoors

An Italian politician wants to make kissing and hugging in public a punishable offense.

(Bild: Luckybusiness)

An Italian politician has shown himself to be heartless. Alfonso Senatore wants to punish kissing and hugging in public in the town of Cava de' Tirreni in the Campania region. If he has his way, an offense will even cost 500 euros.

For Seatore, tenderness in the historic center of the town in the province of Salerno is inappropriate. The mayor of Cava de' Tirreni, Vincenzo Servalli, doesn't think much of the proposal, reports the Italian newspaper "Corriere della Serra".

Mayor: "Are men of love"
"'Men of love need no space: if it were up to them, they would always live embracing each other', writes Luciano De Crescenzo in his novel 'Thus Spoke Bellavista'. And we are men of love," declared the mayor of Cava de' Tirreni, Vincenzo Servalli, in response to the request by Senatore, the regional coordinator for southern Italy, to issue a municipal ordinance restricting excessive displays of affection in public.

"I don't like to see people, regardless of their sexual orientation, exchanging excessive effusions on the streets and especially on weekends in our historic center," said attorney Senatore. He even calls for a fine of 500 euros for those who do not comply with the ban and demands a courageous decision from the mayor.

"Proclamations of love are a nice thing"
"Senatore's statements are paradoxical, to say the least. We have so many problems in Cava, but certainly not this," said Servalli. In his application, the regional coordinator for southern Italy had pointed out the educational aspect for children, who could witness "exaggerated outpourings". "Children are shocked by scenes of extreme violence, but not by kisses and hugs! Expressions of love are a beautiful thing," said the mayor of Cava de' Tirreni.

Curious: in the town of Eboli, around 40 kilometers away, there is a similar regulation to the one Senatore is calling for. Anyone who kisses in a car there has to pay a fine of 500 euros.