Coronavirus: Italian mayor 'fined' after dancing with resident on balcony during lockdown

‘I did something stupid,’ he reportedly says

An Italian mayor has been fined after he was caught dancing with someone on a balcony in defiance of lockdown rules, according to local media.

Gaetano Scullino has reportedly paid €280 (£240) for ignoring restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus last weekend.

The mayor of Ventimiglia was filmed singing and dancing with a resident on a balcony overlooking the city, while wearing a face mask and gloves as protection against coronavirus.

At one point, the pair danced side-by-side – despite social distancing rules – while music blared in the background and neighbours joined in from below.

“I did something stupid,” the mayor said, an Italian news agency reported.

The mayor of the coastal city in Liguria was handed a €400 (£350) fine for breaking rules in place to contain Covid-19 which was reduced as he paid within 30 days, according to ANSA.

“They called me because the drainage system wasn’t working and then asked if I wanted to have coffee,” Mr Scullino reportedly explained.

“Every experience is useful to understand that every act can have consequences. We have to understand how to take responsibility for what comes from that act.”

Mr Scullino has put strict measures in place in Ventimiglia to limit the spread of coronavirus, ordering everyone to wear masks and gloves when coming in contact with the public, according to local media reports.

The Comune di Ventimiglia​ have been approached for comment over reports of the mayor’s fine.

People in Italy have been told to stay at home unless it is essential – for example, to get groceries or for health reasons – and to stay at least one metre apart from others as part of the government’s efforts to tackle the virus.

More than 203,000 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the country to date.

The death toll for Covid-19 patients stood at 27,682 on Thursday, according to official figures.