Italy ? Florence, Renaissance city of art and history, is trying to clean up its streets by cracking down on squeegee men, saying they were causing “great danger” to drivers and pedestrians alike.

Mayor Leonardo Domenici issued a decree last week to force the squeegee men – people who wash drivers’ windshields and demand payment – off the streets, imposing fines and detention of up to three months.

The decree, which is valid through Oct. 30 but can be renewed, alleged the squeegee men were hindering traffic, inconveniencing pedestrians and abusing drivers, particularly women.

The Florence crackdown was reminiscent of the one championed by former New York City mayor and now presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani, whose pursuit of such minor “quality of life” offenders won him acclaim.