Italian Town Dismantles Benches To Stop People Meeting

These images show that the benches in an Italian square have been dismantled to stop people from sitting there during the coronavirus lockdown.

The council of Sannicola, in the southern Italian province of Lecce in the Puglia region, decided to dismantle the benches in the Repubblica Square in the centre of the town to stop citizens from meeting there.

The town, which has just 5,914 inhabitants, made the decision after first covering the benches with red-and-white tape to stop people from sitting there.

Credit: Newsflash/@comune.sannicola
The benches have been removed

Reports state the spot was previously a popular meeting point for elderly citizens but the authorities reminded residents that those breaking the country’s lockdown could face fines of 206 EUR or three months in prison.

The authorities are reportedly carrying out checks around the town to enforce the isolation measures as the Italian government halted all non-essential production to fight the spread of COVID-19.

In the municipality of Angri, in the province of Salerno, southern Italy, the new municipal rules only allow residents with surname’s starting with certain letters to go to the shops on certain days.

In the city of Forli, benches in parks have reportedly been cordoned off.

There have been 63,927 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Italy leading to, 6,077 deaths.


To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Ana LacasaSub-EditorJoseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash

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