Coronavirus: Hairdressers’ owners ‘chain themselves to shop to protest lockdown’ in Italy

Government plans to let salons reopen in June

Owners of an Italian hairdressers have chained themselves to their shop to protest against forced closures during the coronavirus outbreak, according to local media.

The demonstration in northern Italy took place after the government laid out plans to gradually ease lockdown measures, with bars, restaurants, hair salons and beauticians reopening at the start of June.

“We are ready to open,” the owners said, according to Italian news agency ANSA. “We will respect the rules, but we cannot stay closed.”

All non-essential businesses have been forced to close in Italy since mid-March as part of efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus. People have also be told to stay at home unless it is essential, for example to go to work or buy groceries.

One of the owners – wearing chains and a face mask – said in a Facebook video they had been told they could “maybe” resume business in June, meaning they would have been shut for three months.

“We are still paying wages, bills, rent etc,” he said. Images showed the group wearing face masks and gloves during the demonstration.

The two men were joined by other protesters to fasten themselves to the hairdressers in Padua, northern Italy on Monday, according to local paper PadovaOggi.

The prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, explained on Sunday how Italy hopes to come out of its nationwide lockdown, with parks to reopen and family visits within the same region allowed from next week.

Factories and construction sites will be allowed to operate as long as they follow measures aimed at tackling the virus.

However, barbers and hair salons have been told to wait a little longer, with plans to open doors again on 1 June if things are going in the right direction.

The new timetable for relaxing lockdown measures has also been criticised by Italy’s bishops, who accused the government of “arbitrarily” leaving out when mass can be carried out again.

Italy has been one of the worst-hit nations in the world by the coronavirus pandemic, with around 27,000 deaths to date.

Nearly 200,000 people have been infected with the virus in the country, according to official figures on Tuesday.