Mayor of Italian city fines residents for WEARING masks

THE mayor of the Italian city of Sutri, north of Rome, has set fines for wearing masks, except where required by law, insisting that “only thieves and terrorists wear masks.”

Italian MP Vittorio Sgarbi, who is also the mayor of Sutri, has openly criticised wearing masks and other restrictions imposed by the Italian government to address the coronavirus.

Mr Sgarbi announced on Saturday that in Sutri “anyone found wearing a mask unnecessarily will be fined,” noting that there are no cases of coronavirus infection in the city.

“In compliance with the decree of the President of the Council of Ministers, the use of the mask outdoors in the city of Sutri is prohibited for obvious health reasons and indoors except in the case of assemblies,” says the city ordinance.

The MP said that in all other cases, those found wearing masks will be fined in compliance with the law on public order, which prohibits covering the face.

“The use of protective helmets or any other clothing that makes it difficult to recognise a person in public places without sufficient reason is prohibited,” says the law.

Mr Sgarbi also points to certain masking practices that he finds “ridiculous.”

“On the other hand, the use of the mask in public places, except for employees, appears in clear contrast to the time spent eating that requires taking food without a mask,” he writes.

“Therefore, it seems contradictory that after eating without a mask you get up from the table and put it on. They are ridiculous forms of ostentation that have nothing to do with health needs,” he concludes.

The Italian government has been conducting between 90,000 and 100,000 coronavirus tests every day, but deaths from Covid-19 have slowed to single digits and fewer than 100 coronavirus patients are in intensive care units across the country, which has a population of about 60 million.