Councillor stops sexy billboards. But people in Varese like them

This afternoon, the meeting in the council’s Office of Commerce, where the case of the sexy billboards in town was examined in record time, was a lively one. The billboards advertise a bar in Lugano that provides an escort service. The councillor, Salvatore Giordano, examined the case with the directors, and ordered the offices to stop the billboards. “I’m not certain that they advertise an activity that is illegal in Italy,” explained the councillor, “but they mention a website that is indicated as “forbidden to people under the age of 18”, where, in any case, there is explicit reference to activities that appear not to be in line with Italian law. The councillor continued, “Council regulations forbid putting up billboards that offend public decency or religious sensibilities; in this case, it is debatable whether or not they offend public decency, but they might certainly be advertising activities that are not allowed in Italy.”

The councillor asked for immediate action (the billboards were put up by an advertising agency). It is likely that the billboards will already be taken down today. This is not the first time that the escort bar in Lugano has met with opposition in Italy; in December, the inhabitants of Mariano Comense, including the parish priest, said that they did not like a billboard showing the “B Side” of a Brazilian girl. In Switzerland, however, people were offended because a Swiss flag had been used to cover her behind.

Not everyone in Varese was shocked by the billboards. This is clear from comments received by VareseNews, in which many rushed to defend the business, which, basically, stops worse from happening, such as sex in the street, while others criticised the hypocrisy of Italian politicians who publicly support the family, but privately partake of these services.