/ 17 September 2007

In war on pigeons, Venice weddings to be rice-free

Venice Mayor Massimo Cacciari wants to step up his war on pigeons, going so far as to outlaw wedding parties from throwing the traditional handful of rice at newlyweds, Italian media reported on Monday.

The daily La Repubblica said the draft ordinance would prohibit the throwing of rice outside the Palazzo Cavalli wedding hall where more than 1 000 couples tie the knot each year.

A new ordinance would also ban sales of feed in St Mark’s square, the hub of tourism in the lagoon city, a press spokesperson said.

Eighteen vendors have been tolerated in the famous square under “an old ordinance”, he said, adding that only half of them had agreed to sell other goods. — AFP