Limassol shows the red card in street parade

Limassol officials say they would not accept revelers inspired by the biggest heist on television to participate in the annual street parade, citing security concerns.

According to an official statement, the city bans any group wishing to dress as robbers in the famous "La Casa de Papel" series on the paid-subscription channel Netflix.

Several groups have shown interest in the costume associated with the show, including the famous Salvador Dali mask, prompting city officials to respond. The statement pointed to “primarily security reasons” for the ban, citing the red-hooded robbers with guns appearing more than ready to take on the police in a showdown.

The controversy is associated with fictional criminals in the series’ third season trying to pull off the biggest heist in history by printing billions of euro in the Royal Mint of Spain.

More uncertainly is expected to persist in the third season, after millions of viewers were at the edge of their seats in 2017 and 2018, and many are contemplating the possible scenarios for next year.

The visual calling card of the show is the Salvador Dali mask, which is worn by the stars of the show. Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dali i Domenech, known professionally as Salvador Dali, was a prominent Spanish surrealist and skilled draftsman, best known for striking and bizarre images.

Limassol officials said they would accept applications through December 7, with repeat participants who followed the last year’s rules filing as early as November 20 while others can start applying on November 21.