SPAIN - A recent ordinance passed by the municipality of Alicante, Spain, prohibiting nudity on beaches not explicitly signed as clothing optional is being loudly denounced by Osiris, the local nudist association. Since non-sexual public nudity isn’t a crime in Spain, one observer noted that in Alicante one could now walk freely on city streets whilst nude, but face fines of up to 1,500 Euros for being naked on certain beaches. Local conservative pressure groups are also pushing for the ban of top-free bathing on town beaches.

Meanwhile, Naturaten, the nudist association in Tenerife, Canary Islands, is fighting a similar absurd law proposed for La Tejita beach in Granadilla, whereby most of the beach would be reserved for textiles. Is Spain seeing a wave of conservatism?