Italy’s Verona bans ‘ethnic food’, kebab shops for disrupting ‘decorum’ of city
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Kebab shops and restaurants selling deep-fried foods such as döner wraps have been banned in the northern Italian city of Verona, according to a Daily Mail report published Saturday.The ruling, which says that all restaurants selling "ethnic food" would be prohibited in the city, came into effect this week in order "to protect the city's 'typical culture' or 'decorum,' " Verona Mayor Flavio Tosi reportedly stated. No more establishments selling foods like kebabs will be opened in Verona, Tosi reportedly said.The new ruling is blamed on the rise of Middle Eastern cuisine, which the officials think is disrupting the "historic and architectural patrimony of the city center" and "the tradition of typical culture of the Verona territory." However, this new provision was not welcomed by all citizens.Some saw the ruling discriminates against immigrants. Reportedly Venice will also undergo market stall and trinket shop regulations to preserve the city's own aesthetic and put a stop to "Disneyfication."Similarly, in October, a French mayor had declared "war" on kebabs and said that he would not permit new kebab restaurants to be opened within the borders of his town, Beziers. Döner is a Turkish dish made of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, mostly of beef or chicken.Founded more than 2,000 years ago, Verona stands out with its ancient monumental structure and historical sites. Verona was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status due to its outstanding architecture, which includes buildings from Roman times. The city is also home to three Shakespeare plays, most famously Romeo and Juliet.