A resident of Malta’s coastal resort of Sliema has decided to protest against the baggy clothing worn by tourists on the streets and has hung 60 signs around the city. They read “No beachwear on our streets” and a ban sign.
Local media reported that David Pace O’Shea welcomed arrivals to Malta with an emphatic plea to dress modestly, noting that his initiative has been supported by many angry residents. The man, who has lived in Sliema since birth, has put up signs in several places with a crossed-out bikini and men’s swimming trunks.
One resident is tired of tourists wearing skimpy clothes.
– Beachwear only – said O’Shea, who also asked the mayor of Sliema and the police chief to support his initiative. He called for stricter enforcement of Malta’s public decency laws, including posting on social media. One article of the penal code criminalizes “appearing naked or indecently dressed”.
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In an interview with the Times of Malta, O’Shea confirmed that tensions between tourists and residents had grown to the point that he had recently witnessed a “violent altercation” over clothing. The Times of Malta reported on Friday that O’Shea is not the first Sliema resident to be bothered by tourists wearing skimpy clothing: last month, the local parish priest, Etienne Sciberras, expressed his displeasure. “However, when he raised the issue with the police, he was told that enforcing such rules could harm tourism,” we read.
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Main image source: Shutterstock
