Tourist's photo sparks outrage in Italy

In the Italian city of Florence, a tourist climbing onto a statue of the Roman wine god Bacchus and striking 'obscene' poses has caused an outcry.

According to a report by the BBC, a photo shared by the social media account 'Welcome to Florence' shows the tourist kissing the statue, while other photos show her in sexual poses.

The statue is a replica of the original Bacchus statue, which was created by Giambologna in the 16th century and is kept in a gallery near the Bargello Museum.

As the photos spread rapidly, they caused an uproar on social media, with some users demanding the arrest of the female tourist. One user commented, "This is the result of trying to turn Florence into Disneyland over the years."

Patrizia Asproni, president of the foundation Confcultura, which promotes Italy's cultural heritage, stated in an interview with Italian media that this "display of rudeness and barbarism" is constantly repeated, and the reason for this is that "everyone feels entitled to do whatever they want and that it goes unpunished." Asproni argued that the "Singapore model," meaning "strict supervision, high fines, and zero tolerance," should be adopted regarding such behavior.

Antonella Rinaldi, the archaeology and fine arts official for the city of Florence, said, "Our doors are open to tourists, but everyone must respect the works of art here, whether they are originals or replicas."

REACTION TO TOURIST INFLUX GROWS

Florence is one of the world's leading tourist destinations. In 2023, approximately 1.5 million people visited the city between June and September alone. The city's population is around 382 thousand.

City residents are complaining about the influx of tourists. There are many people who want steps to be taken against the overcrowding caused by tourists, especially on the wide streets of Florence during the summer months. "Overtourism" has become one of the major agendas for some cities around the world. City administrations are trying to find ways to develop appropriate solutions without closing the door to tourists.

Last month, the mayor's office in Barcelona announced a plan to ban short-term tourist apartment rentals within five years.

The Italian city of Venice has introduced an entry fee for day-trippers to combat overtourism. The practice, a world first, began on April 25. On the first day, 15 thousand 700 people were able to enter the city by paying a fee of 5 euros each.

News Source: 12punto