Obama a hit among Italian nativity scenes

NAPLES, Italy, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- A vendor spokesman in Naples, Italy, says police shut down a shopping area offering nativity figurines, including one of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama.

The unidentified spokesman said police shut down the Via San Gregorio Armeno shopping area of the city in an attempt to stop certain open-air vendors who are suspected of operating without authorization, the Italian news agency, ANSA, reported Wednesday.

Among the nativity statue offerings set to be offered by the Christmas vendors were ones featuring the U.S president-elect. Also included in the holiday theme are Inter Milan soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his coach, Jose Mourinho.

Model Carla Bruni, wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, also has a nativity statue in her honor, as does Sarkozy and Naples soccer star Ezequiel Lavezzi.

ANSA said the vendor dispute was settled after negotiations between vendors and local officials, leaving legal vendors to once again offer their celebrity holiday wares.