One of Italy’s most famous cities has sparked a controversial proposal to ban the sale of ice cream and pizza after midnight.
Milan is set to freeze two of Italy’s beloved culinary treasures for the final few hours, as the city looks to clamp down on rowdy groups crowding the streets.
The new law will focus on late-night indulgences that attract groups of revelers and tourists, such as ice cream and pizza, citing concerns about noise, litter and public order.
Marco Granelli, deputy mayor, said: “The goal is to find a balance between socialization and entertainment, and the peace and tranquility of residents.”
Under the new proposal, the ban would exclusively affect outdoor dining areas, starting at 12:30 a.m. on weekdays and 1:30 a.m. on weekends, from May to November.
One of Italy’s most famous cities has sparked a controversial proposal to ban the sale of ice cream and pizza after midnight.
Milan is set to freeze two of Italy’s beloved culinary treasures for the final few hours, as the city looks to clamp down on rowdy groups crowding the streets.
The ban will apply in areas such as Nolo, Lazzaretto, Melzo, Isola, Sarpi, Via Cesariano, Arco della Pace, Como-GaeAulenti, Porta Garibaldi, Brera, Ticinese and Darsena-Navigli.
Residents and businesses alike have until early May to voice their concerns and suggest modifications to the new law.
The move marks a revision of a similar idea from almost a decade ago, which was vehemently opposed by Milan residents and subsequently abandoned in 2013.
Mayor Giuliano Pisapia was forced to change his proposal to ban midnight snacks after facing growing pressure from protests that rocked his administration.
He stated that the wording of the directive was erroneous and that there was no intention to prohibit the late-night sale of ice cream or any other food or drink.
He said at that time, as told by The independent: ‘If there was any error on our part, it has already been corrected.
‘Milanese and non-Milanese can eat ice cream day and night wherever they want. Maybe there was an error in the interpretation of the rules, or maybe an error in the way things were written.’
In April 2023, a small fishing town in Italy launched new anti-tourist measures with fines of 275 euros for loitering in selfie hotspots in an attempt to end the “anarchic chaos.”
The new law will focus on late-night indulgences that attract groups of revelers and tourists, such as ice cream and pizza, citing concerns about noise, litter and public order.
Under the new proposal, the ban would exclusively affect outdoor dining areas, starting at 12:30 a.m. on weekdays and 1:30 a.m. on weekends, from May to November.
The mayor of Portofino introduced a ban on loitering in two “red zones,” where visitors often take photographs and tour groups gather. The times reported.
The no-wait zones were put into effect amid a tourism boom during the Easter holidays, which saw around 1.7 million tourists visit Italian city centers, a 12 percent increase from 2022. .
Portofino’s newly established no-wait zone bans are active daily from morning until 6 pm and remain in effect until October 15.
Mayor Matteo Viacava insisted that the ban is not intended to make the city “more exclusive,” but rather to “allow everyone to enjoy our beauty” and “avoid dangerous situations caused by overpopulation.”
Crowds of marauding tourists prevent access for emergency services, which could be very dangerous, he said.