Sir,
I understand you want to free San Lorenzo from the
booths. Actually it seems more like Iran, Pakistan or China than Florence. But
I hope you will not replace them with an invasion of gazebos, tents or
platforms for tables for outdoor eating. Also, I hope you will free Florence’s
streets of itinerant vendors, such as the black people who encumber them with
their awful posters and fake items. Are they a bonus to your town, considering
the attention paid by the police? They are also in piazzale Michelangelo, too.
Regards,
Flor Mendoza Milton
from Seville, Spain, living in Florence for three
years
Dear
Flor,
I
was in San Lorenzo the other day to speak with citizens. The changes already
underway involve a complete rethinking and redesign of the area. The first step
is the relocation of some of the stands, the bancarelle, of the outdoor market to the inside of the Mercato
Centrale building. As for the many itinerant merchants around the city, I would
argue that to the degree that they are present in the world’s other most
beautiful ‘cities of art,’ here in Florence their numbers are relatively small.
Nonetheless, they are issues to address, and we have been working with the
police to encourage increased surveillance of illegal sales and trade in counterfeit
products. In fact, a major confiscation of 146 counterfeit pieces took place
several days ago.
Before
closing I would like to take this opportunity to say that Florence remains a
city open to the world and to all its citizens, regardless of the color of
their skin. So, while we are working to curb the illicit activities that take
away from the order and beauty of our streets, we celebrate the intercultural
urban environment that the ideals of Florence have always fostered.
All the best,
Matteo
Those interested in writing the mayor can send
messages and comments via email to redazione@theflorentine.net, stating ‘Write
the Mayor’ in the subject
line of the email. Emails must clearly state the author’s first name, surname,
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