The Liguria seaside town of
Bordighera on Friday raised to 5,000 euros a fine against a
musician who was playing the clarinet in public without
authorization on Thursday.
Marco Fusi, who has worked with top names including Alex
Britti, Fiorella Mannoia, Moni Ovadia, and Ottavia Piccolo, was
fined 2,064 euros yesterday for playing in the rail station
underpass in breach of a 1931 Royal Decree that says street
musicians have to be registered before they play outdoors.
"I'm here to organise some summer music evenings and given
the good weather I decided to improvise a concert, as you do
abroad," said Fusi, who has recorded four albums distributed in
50 countries.
"In Italy they're light years behind. I wasn't asking for
money".
However on Friday, center-right Mayor Giacomo Pallanca
explained that while the Royal Decree is no longer in force, the
town will fine the musician 100 euros for begging and some 5,000
euros for unauthorized sale of audiovisual material.
"We have evidence he displayed some CDs while playing,"
Pallanca said. "Furthermore, there were coins in the clarinet
case, which makes it begging".
"We don't want Bordighera to get a reputation as a town
that is against street artists and art. Musicians are welcome,
but first you have to ask for the authorization - which is
almost never denied".
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