Outraged locals in a historic Italian town are campaigning to banish an “invasion” of naked sunbathers from their beaches in what is fast developing into a culture war.
Residents in the southern coastal town of Taranto in Puglia, on the heel of Italy, are rising up against nudists who are sunbathing on popular beaches.
Some parents in Taranto, which is famous for its mussels and pristine sandy beaches, say nudists should not strip off on public beaches where children and toddlers are present in the summer.
But the issue is dividing the local community and turning into a debate on personal liberties.
A group of local mothers in the town has condemned the presence of topless and naked sunbathers as “immoral in front of kids” and are calling for more restrictive measures to prevent it.
The old town in Taranto, Italy (Photo: Valeria Mongelli/Bloomberg via Getty Images)In a recent incident, a group of Italian nudists stripped naked and went swimming in front of children who were playing in the sand on the popular free beach of Torre Borraco, in Taranto’s district of Marina of Manduria.
Several outraged local mothers of the children succeeded in chasing the nudists away.
“It was disgusting. These naked people did not just lie on their towels to sunbathe, but moved naturally around the beach as if they were wearing bikinis,” Maria Pia Di Gennaro, a mother of four children, told The i Paper.
“Together with a few other mums, I’m planning to organise a committee and ask the mayor to implement new measures and fines to enforce the restriction of nudists to nudist beaches.”
Mrs Di Gennaro complained that other beaches that were popular with families were being invaded by “vulgar naked people” who should not be allowed on the beaches.
“Police should stroll on beaches every day to make sure our children are safe from obscene situations for these naturists are breaking the law,” she said.
“My little girl was shocked: she asked me why that man had no hair on his genitals. I didn’t know what to say.”
There is no nationwide law in Italy that punishes nudism in non-authorised area, as regulations and fines vary locally.
In Puglia, nudism is exclusively allowed on beaches designated as “naturist”. However, in more isolated or less frequented areas, naturism is tolerated or accepted informally, as long as it does not disturb other sunbathers who may take the case to court, and which can result in a fine up to €3,300 (£2,878).
Most beaches in the Taranto area are free and there are no restrictions on who can and cannot use the beach – although the stretch of coastline near Taranto where recent incidents have occurred is not officially reserved for nudism.
On the Ionic coast where Taranto is located, the only beach officially restricted to nudists is located in Campomarino di Maruggio, further east along the coast from Taranto. Most nudist beaches in Puglia are located on the opposite Adriatic shore, in places such as Punta Penna Grossa in Carovigno, Santa Lucia Beach in Ostuni, and the protected marine area of Torre Guaceto.
The owner of a beach bar close to Torre Borraco, who asked not to be named, said nudism was becoming a “real problem as more and more people want to get naked”.
“It should be better regulated with beach patrols and fines for transgressors who suntan on family shores,” she added.
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Taranto’s town hall and mayor’s office declined to comment.
But locals are not united in outrage against the naturists. While some say that naturists should not mingle with families and children, others think personal freedom must not be constrained.
The owner of another nearby beach facility warned against limiting personal freedom in any way.
“If they aren’t having sex on the beach, what harm can nudists do? Some of us southern Italians are too moralistic and prude”, he said.
Alberto Rossi, a retiree from Milan who spends his summers sunbathing naked along Puglia’s Adriatic coast, said there should be no laws restricting the pleasure of sunbathing.
“You just need to use your good sense. Avoid crowds and families, keep to yourself and if you want to go for a walk on the beach, put on a swimsuit.”
Courts across Italy however have had to handle the issue. In 2012, the Cassation Court, the country’s highest court of appeal, fined a nudist €1,200 (£1,046) for sun tanning naked on a non-nudist beach in Sicily.
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