San Benedetto del Tronto beach concession protest turns violent

A protest regarding beach concessions in San Benedetto del Tronto escalated into a physical and verbal confrontation at the Stella Marina establishment. Activists Matteo Hallissey and Ivan Grieco, who are advocating for the application of the Bolkestein Directive to ensure public tenders for maritime concessions, visited the site as part of a tour of Italian beaches.

The visit led to a heated dispute with Giuseppe Ricci, owner of the Stella Marina and President of Itb Italia. While the protest was initially described as a peaceful demonstration, video footage later showed moments of high tension and physical contact. Hallissey accused Ricci of reacting both verbally and physically to the protest, which aims to secure public access to the shoreline through transparent and competitive bidding processes.