Milan Is the Latest City to Ban the Selfie Stick
Summer travelers to Milan be warned: Your selfie sticks are no longer welcome. On Friday, local authorities banned the smartphone accessory everyone loves to hate — alongside other commonplace items like glass bottles and cans — from the Darsena docklands area of Milan's recently renovated historical port-turned-pedestrian haven.
The ban is expected to last through August 12 (and possibly longer), and also includes "moving trade" (including street food and food trucks) to better crack down on excess littering. While we're not sure how selfie sticks lead to littering, its inclusion in the ban may be Milan's way of fighting back against what it sees as anti-social behavior, Travel + Leisure reports. Milan's councilor for security, Carmela Rozza, told Polimerica that the ban, which she noted may be renewed, will stamp out littering by "making it a habit not to bring glass bottles or cans in Darsena."
The ban makes Milan the latest Italian city to combat tourism's dark side this summer, joining Rome and Florence in bad behavior crackdowns. Rome has been the hot spot: Last week it banned public drinking at night after previously putting an official halt to swimming in and eating near 40 historic city fountains, including the iconic Trevi Fountain. In Florence, the authorities have gotten a little more creative and have been hosing down the steps of famous basilicas to stop tourists from picnicking on them.
H/T: The Local