A Spanish restaurant chain called "La Mafia Se Sienta A La Mesa" (in Albanian: "The Mafia sits at the table") has been ordered to change its name because authorities believe the name portrays Italian organized crime in a positive way, which is inappropriate and against public morality.
The restaurant's owner and founders probably didn't think the reference would cause such controversy - they thought the name would attract attention - but Italy filed an official complaint, arguing that the word "mafia" is associated with a very violent and serious criminal organization.
In 2018, the European Union Intellectual Property Office ruled that the name was invalid because it conveyed a globally positive image of the mafia - something that could offend victims of crime and the general public.
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Earlier this year, the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office also supported the case and ordered the restaurant to appeal the decision or change its name.
The restaurant claims the name was inspired by a recipe book, not the criminal organization, and argues that in many industries the word “mafia” is used as a cultural, not criminal, religion. However, Spanish authorities did not accept this argument.
According to them, the name potentially goes against public order and morality, directly reproducing the name of a real criminal organization, which is not just a literary or fictional phenomenon, but a reality that continues to have great influence.
The restaurant chain has about 100 locations and employs approximately 2500 people, and the company is considering appealing the decision. /Telegraph/
