Today the new Barcelona anti-nude law comes into effect even as the coastal and political temperatures start to rise and the tourist buses start to fill. But spare a thought for the poor old Mossos - or maybe it's the Guardia Urbana? In addition to nursemaiding the ad-hoc encamment in Plaza Cataluña, controlling the Barca celebration route, deciding whether criminals are robbers, residents,immigrants or begging musicians, police will now have to decide the difference between 'nude', 'almost nude', 'semi- nude' -and 'clothed' - in order to levy the appropriate fine (from 120 up to 500 euros), (a fine incidently higher than going through the lights on red). Apparently recruitment for May - including part-time positions - was at an all-time high though there are as yet no official figures available. Some residents groups in the old part of the city have accused the Town Hall of a massive cover-up and a mis-use of statistics trying to show they were on top of crime when they weren't, especially those committed by young tourists.
Under this new law police will be obliged to give a warning to offenders and to examine their credentials carefully before fining them. Presumeably if offenders have no money on them, on-the-spot fines will be difficult to enforce so perhaps they will be allowed to pay later. Clearly definitions of what is/is not nude are a bit hazy at the best of times which will call for more police head-scratching before the long arm of the law risks an arrest in flagrante. Given the Arctic quality of the air-conditioning at the police station on Nou de la Rambla, most offenders would be wise to pay on the spot though.
One wonders, given the immense task confronting the police whether residents could lend a hand as it were using the powers of citizens' arrest. Another unresolved factor is whether increasingly popular tattoos could de-nude/ or re-clothe a person. Surely a full frontal tattoo is not essentially different than a highly decorated T shirt - though below-hip tattoos might be less obfuscating. And what will happen when a tourist brings an action against a police officer for molesting him/her while assessing the degree of nudity.
Feelings about the matter are somewhat luke-warm politically speaking with support far from 100%. The law was PSC and CiU approved but the PP abstained and other parties labelled it unnecessary stating they be even shooting themselves in the foot if the law puts off tourists from coming here. In addition to complicate matters even further the law states a person can be half-nude (which half is not clear) on the Passeig Maritim, on the Dune nudist beach and on streets near the beach. There's also the art for art's sake thing too and you can be exempt if you are part of a nude exhibition - but presumeable not making an exhibition of yourself by being nude.
The whole thing is totally absurd. An example of a law rushed through to satisfy a group of sanctimonious old crones - as the comments section in la Vanguardia shows. The way their government is handling Spain's financial crisis no one will have any money to buy clothes anymore so we'll all soon be naked - or covered in tattoos
