After this photo from Sopot, there was a stir. Internet users are merciless

One photo was enough to reignite a discussion in Sopot about where the beach ends and the urban space begins. A photo of a couple returning from shopping, in which the man is walking through the streets of the resort without a shirt, quickly spread across social media and divided Internet users.

Sopot says “enough”. It’s about preserving some of the tourists

The dispute is not new. For years, Sopot has been trying to convince tourists that beachwear should stay on the beach. A decade ago, posters and stickers with the slogans “Stop naked people on the street” and “We do not serve unclothed customers” appeared in the city..

The campaign was a response to complaints from residents and entrepreneurs who pointed out that some visitors treated the entire city as an extension of the seaside promenade. – Last season, we received signals from residents and tourists that not everyone was satisfied with the fact that people went naked outside the beach – explained Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim, the current mayor of Sopot, years ago.

After this photo from Sopot, there was a stir. It was about a shirtless tourist

The author of the city campaign, graphic designer Jacek Staniszewski, had a similar opinion. As he emphasized, the problem was not about nudity itself, but about respect for other people using restaurants or urban spaces. – People treat the streets as an extension of the beach – he said, adding that not everyone wants to see half-naked tourists during a family dinner in a restaurant.

Although the campaign has been going on since 2016, today its traces are not as visible as before. Many restaurateurs admit that it is difficult to enforce similar rules during the season. – We have so much work that there is no one to leave a customer without a shirt – admits one of the waitresses at the famous Monciak in an interview with Gazeta Wyborcza.

– It happens that we have customers without shirts, maybe there are not dozens of them, but they are there. We didn’t talk about this at all – adds another employee of the catering industry. – If we were not to serve customers in swimsuits, we would probably go out of business – emphasizes another.

Sopot. A photo of a shirtless tourist has divided Internet users

The last photo only heated up the emotions. Some defended the man in the photo, arguing that in a tourist resort everyone should have the right to dress as they feel comfortable. Others had no doubts. “The street is not a beach”, “It’s a simple lack of culture” or “We wear a T-shirt around the city” – they wrote in the comments.

Despite the controversy, the city authorities do not intend to give up the campaign. Officials argue that the number of half-naked strollers has decreased significantly in recent years, although the problem still occurs. – The campaign will be continued, reminding about the basic principles of good manners and norms applicable in public space – emphasize representatives of the Sopot municipality.