Sicily bans sale of mafia souvenirs – DNyuz

It has long been synonymous with the murderous acts of organised crime network Cosa Nostra, but the island of Sicily is now cracking down on the sale of mafia memorabilia in a bid to end the negative stereotypes.

According to the island’s authorities, T-shirts and mugs depicting Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone from The Godfather and trinkets ridiculing the bloody feuds of the Sicilian mafia are damaging the island’s reputation.

Many of the new items feature cartoonish images of mafiosi wearing black berets and carrying a “lupara” or hunting rifle slung over their backs.

The city of Agrigento, one of the world’s biggest tourist draws because of its nearby cluster of ancient Greek temples, has banned shops from selling such souvenirs.

Mayor Francesco Miccichè said the sale of mafia products “humiliates the community, which has been committed for years to spreading a culture of legality”.

He said he was imposing a ban on “any type of object that praises or refers to the mafia and organized crime in any way and in any form.”

Police will inspect stores to make sure they are no longer selling banned products. Businesses that do not comply with the rules will be fined.

The ruins in the Valley of the Temples, just outside Agrigento, are considered the finest examples of ancient Greek architecture outside Greece and attract large numbers of visitors.

Coinciding with the ban in Agrigento, the island’s government has ordered airports to stop selling mafia memorabilia.

Alessandro Aricò, councillor responsible for transport and infrastructure, wrote to the managers of the airports of Palermo, Catania and Trapani, and to those of the small islands of Lampedusa and Pantelleria, asking them to remove such products from the shops in the terminal.

Sicily must “maintain a dignified image, stripped of the usual negative stereotypes”, especially at entry points such as airports, he said.

“Stop the sale of mafia-related items and souvenirs in the shops and commercial areas of Sicilian airports.”

It is not the first time that Sicily has tried to restrict the sale of such items.

Last year, the regional government ruled that ferries sailing to and from Sicily would no longer be allowed to sell mafia-related trinkets in their souvenir shops.

Cosa Nostra is made up of a coalition of families and clans, known in Italian as “cosche”, each of which has a monopoly on operating in a specific area and is involved in drug trafficking, extortion and protection rackets.

The Sicilian Mafia is believed to have originated in the 19th century, although some experts believe its roots go back further.

The story Sicily bans sale of mafia memorabilia first appeared on The Telegraph.