A lifelong resident of Sliema has launched a campaign urging people not to wear swimwear on the seaside town’s streets.
David Pace O’Shea has put up around 60 small signs across Sliema with the message, ‘No swimwear on our streets’, hoping to encourage more appropriate attire in residential areas.
Pace O’Shea explained that the problem has been growing for years, with residents increasingly frustrated by the sight of people walking around in swimwear far from the beach.
“Decency is relative. That’s why my signs specifically mention swimwear. Swimwear should be just for the beach,” he said.
During the summer, many Sliema residents have taken to social media to vent their frustrations about people strolling through residential streets or shopping in swimwear, sometimes creating tension between locals and tourists.
Pace O’Shea noted that this tension came to a head recently when he witnessed a heated argument over someone’s attire.
“Have frustrations been raised so much that it might lead to fights?” he said.
Motivated by this incident, Pace O’Shea decided to act two weeks ago, believing that individuals can enact change without always waiting for the authorities to step in. “Sometimes, you have to do it yourself – while remaining within the law,” he added.
Sometimes, you have to do it yourself – while remaining within the law- David Pace O’Shea
In addition to placing the signs, Pace O’Shea has written to the Sliema mayor and police commissioner.
He requested more official signage like his, a social media campaign targeting tourists and language students, and stricter enforcement of public decency laws.
According to Section 338 of the Criminal Code, it is an offence for anyone in public to “expose himself naked or be indecently dressed”.
This issue has not gone unnoticed by others in the community.
Last month, St Gregory’s parish priest, Etienne Sciberras, expressed similar concerns at a community meeting. However, when he raised the issue with the police, he was told that enforcing such rules could harm tourism.
Sliema mayor John Pillow also shares these concerns: “It is too much, and I am against it”.
He added that people often confuse being in a residential area with still being at the beach, even going as far as wearing swimwear in supermarkets.
Pillow believes that signs alone are not enough.
“We need more enforcement on the streets,” he said, noting that Rangers have recently been deployed to address the issue.