>(ie overpriced branded crap for idiots)
Billiant statement :D

Italians we know (of quite varying economic means) used to express levels of sympathy toward the "struggling immigrants just trying to make a living." In the past couple of years, however, we've noticed a significant hardening of attitudes towards immigrants, both legal residents and not. One restaurant owner we know in Umbria told us he no longer goes to Rome for pleasure because the immigrants have "ruined it."

Helping the police apprehend a fleeing criminal is never "unethical". Whether it is wise or not is a different question. Add in the misunderstanding regarding the relative insignificance of the crime, and it's more unwise still. But not in the least unethical.

Re: posting by Girlspy...
it is the Guardia di Finanza police that roust the street vendors, rather than the Carabinieri or the local police.

Jean - I totally agree with the man from Umbria. I was in Rome in June then again in September. It's a different experience now, to say the least.

No, Smarty it was the Carabinieri-and I looked rather surprised at the restaurant owner as we all did, watching this scene, because it WAS the Carb. who was doing the arresting. And I looked at them and said Carabinieri, si? It is the jurisdiction of the Guardia, but in different Comunes, depending on size of the city, the police forces have different responsibilities-in Venice, most all arrests are handled by the Carb

So Sarge, I assume you feel it is equally as ethical for the police to apprehend a fleeing "criminal" who happens to be a tourist/local who has just bought one of these bags-because it is illegal to buy them as well, so that makes anyone who buys one just as much a "criminal", correct?

And if you go out on the street in the US, and buy your fake Prada there, or in a US mall, it would seem right that you would be arrested, as the storeowner should be, right?

Tough situation. First, I applaud the Australian for getting involved. Not matter what the crime, the police were trying to enforce the law and he stepped in to help. Maybe more balls than brains, but I tip my hat to him.

As for the sale of knockoffs... it's against the law almost everywhere. Somebody worked quite hard to build up the value of their brand and for others to profit off of their efforts is illegal. Period. End of sentence. To protect against piracy of videos, music, books and computer software, but not against design, logos, etc. is silly.

Now, some designers have not pursued action against manufacturers/vendors of knockoffs because they feel that it encourages people to strive to get to a point in life where they can buy the real thing and doesn't really hurt sales or dilute the brand. Others feel differently and encourage strict enforcement.

Just my opinion...

Hi, I'm afraid I don't see what was so unusual about what the OP witnessed - except for the bystander involving himself.

In any large city anywhere you can find people selling goods, fakes or not, illegally. Selling Gucci bags being less of an overall evil compared to the drug dealing occuring in my own neighborhood, in my own opinion.

I do find fault that this is assumed to be the sole domain of 'illegal immigrants' I have no doubt there are numbers who do participate but they are certainly far outnumbered by 'legal' citizens here in Toronto.

I also believe North America as a whole, excepting the aboriginal peoples, to be a continent of immigrants, everyone's family history leads to relatives immigrating here at some point.

We need more immigration to off set the decline in population, it's good for everybody.

Importing fake designer goods or CDs is illegal, at least in Holland. No matter if you bought it ïn good faith" and really nobody believes that these fakes are real do they?
It is a Maffia business, just as drugs are, whether it is Italian or Russian Maffia makes little difference. It hurts everyone, from the designer down to the street vendor, who probably had to pay up front for the goods he is trying to hawk.
The Australian who got involved did the right thing, regardless of what the locals thought. It may have been foolish to interfere from the view of his own safety but ethically it was absolutely right.

As some of you may know I do law enforcement as part of my job and as such have been on a few of these "crackdowns". It's the worst job we get sent on.

Nobody seriously gives a toss and all we do is make some people's awful lives a bit worse.

Do you really think those chinese people who sell you snide DVDs in the pub are doing this out of choice? I've spoken to these people and they are little more than bonded serfs.

I also strongly object to using public money to protect hollywood's copyright or Burberry's brand.

If these brands want to protect their trademarks they should pay for the cost of the work (ie catching someone selling a knock off burberry bag will get them a £200 fine at the cost to the taxpayer of around £5,000)

And there are indeed degrees of ``illegal,'' in terms of what police can do when trying to apprehend you. A person facing a parking ticket can not be pursued and tackled, or have guns drawn on him, or have his door broken down; a person facing a murder charge can be pursued more vigorously.

I think it is OK to roust a group of sellers for the misdemeanor crime of selling without a permit -- but realize they will receive a fine, not jail time, and they can come back. Those bags were the property of the street vender, and couldn't be confiscated by the law, let alone a passer-by.

There is a bill in committee in US Congress that would move ``copyright violation'' into the category of crime equivalent to ``drug trafficking'', so that police could invade homes, seize computers, freeze assets, etc. of _suspected_ copyright violaters. So theoretically a vendor of knockoffs (or your kid running BitTorrent) in the US could be chased down with guns drawn. Personally I think that is way over the top.

Just to make it fair, I don't give Christian Dior a penny for his overrated merchandise and don't give a street vendor a penny for imitation crap. The day I have need to pretend I have a $1,500 bag will be very sad day for me.

Norcalif (and others intrigued by this question): you may want to read Donna Leon's 'Blood from a Stone'. Not only is it an excellent piece of detective fiction, police-procedural style, it is also a thoughtful exploration of this very issue and set in Venice.

Girlspy- absolutely. If it is illegal to buy something and you get caught buying it or in possession of it (be it drugs or fake Pradas), then you reap the consequences of your actions. Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it.

Before traveling to Italy last month, I read (in more than one place) that Italy is particularly cracking down on these vendors and that they were considering making it illegal to purchase one of these knockoffs.

I don't buy fake designer anything, because I don't buy designer anything.

There is an old saying in this country and it applies in others as well, "caveat emptor"...

IMHO, Copycats and counterfeit products are already so widespread in "real businesses "that it makes not much of a difference if those "Bad Bags" get sold in Venice or elsewhere.

There are so many watches that are still legal by defition, but have no other purpose than to look as much as Rolex as the law still allows. Or car designs that (almost) are identical copies that you problems keeping them apart from their "source of inspiration", i.e. Lexus. Or TV shows.. one new kind of programming gets popular, and other channels copy it to get a free ride on the trendsetter's success.

Again only IMHO, serious counter action against counterfeit products is required when health and safety are affected: spare parts for cars and medical products/drugs are a much more serious case which usually gets much less attention than those manufacturers of luxury hand bags.

and I wish there was an edit function.. sorry for all those typos

I don't understand the dynamics! Why can't they sell fakes when we have illustrators fly to the fashion capitals or the Acadamy awards who fy back and their sketches are copied, in production and proudly shown on TV.

I wouldn't know a Prada bag if I tripped over one. I have no idea how much they cost. It has been established that I live in a bubble. I see people selling purses on the street and I have no idea whether they are copying something they aren't supposed to copy. The only way I know that such bags are knock-offs is by reading Fodors. I am assuming there are at least a couple people living in a similar bubble who don't read Fodors, who see cheap purses for sale, figure they need a purse and buy one. I have bought the occasional five (maybe ten) dollar watch on the street in New York, but I have no idea whether it is a fake expensive watch or a real cheap watch. I assume it's the latter. I guess I'm lucky I haven't been prosecuted.

I have to agree with Sarge & AStein. It's illegal & both buyer & seller should pay the penalty. It would stop if it were enforced often enough as it should be. It's the same as stealing.

There was a crack-down on an African vendor here selling fake Louis V, etc. He's back but new Louis V & Coach stores have opened. In the last bust, I heard customs people at the airport did confiscate the fakes. Don't know if fines were involved with the buyers.

People can justify it all they want because the original has made lots of money CREATING their product so thugs can copy it. Then why isn't it OK to counterfeit money? What's the difference?

If you can't afford the real thing, don't make a fool of yourself by carrying a fake. You CAN tell the difference. OJ Simpson was wearing a fake Rolex when he was last arrested. It figures.