One Monday morning in Spring, residents of Florence's centre woke up to find that a historic corner of the town - and the only space for children of the local kindergarten to play in - had been taken up by a gigantic metal outdoors extension of the Roberto Cavalli Club, managed by Joseph Danilo Jacoviello, son-in-law of the designer Roberto Cavalli.
The piece of Florence, right next to the Carmine Church (famous for paintings by Masaccio and Filippino Lippi, among others) had been handed over by a minor town office for the paltry sum of little more than 2.000 Euros.
Parents of the kindergarten and residents united to protest against this sellout of their rights. The protest was also attended by Matteo Renzi, who became mayor of Florence a few days later.
The deputy mayor of Florence made a public declaration that permission for the Roberto Cavalli Club dehors would not be renewed on its expiry, on September 13.
The construction should therefore have been dismantled on September 13, and the square given back to the citizens and children.
The Roberto Cavalli Club has decided, instead, to flout the law publicly: fourteen days after expiry of the permit, the structure is not only still there, but is regularly used to seat the guests of the Club.
This is by no means the first time the Roberto Cavalli Club has broken the law: for example, on May 25, 2009, the police raided the Roberto Cavalli Club, discovering that it was being used illegally as a disco, without having any permit or fulfilling the relevant safety requirements.
We call on all those around the world who love Florence to support the residents of the historic centre of Florence against this act of arrogance.
The piece of Florence, right next to the Carmine Church (famous for paintings by Masaccio and Filippino Lippi, among others) had been handed over by a minor town office for the paltry sum of little more than 2.000 Euros.
Parents of the kindergarten and residents united to protest against this sellout of their rights. The protest was also attended by Matteo Renzi, who became mayor of Florence a few days later.
The deputy mayor of Florence made a public declaration that permission for the Roberto Cavalli Club dehors would not be renewed on its expiry, on September 13.
The construction should therefore have been dismantled on September 13, and the square given back to the citizens and children.
The Roberto Cavalli Club has decided, instead, to flout the law publicly: fourteen days after expiry of the permit, the structure is not only still there, but is regularly used to seat the guests of the Club.
This is by no means the first time the Roberto Cavalli Club has broken the law: for example, on May 25, 2009, the police raided the Roberto Cavalli Club, discovering that it was being used illegally as a disco, without having any permit or fulfilling the relevant safety requirements.
We call on all those around the world who love Florence to support the residents of the historic centre of Florence against this act of arrogance.
