Tourist, 28, Charged Over Pre-Wedding Statue Prank
The Daily Beast • • world
Key Points:
- A 28-year-old Danish tourist has been charged after climbing the Neptune Fountain in Florence as part of a pre-wedding dare, causing significant damage.
- The woman attempted to touch the statue’s genitals, believed to be a good luck charm, before police intervened; she claimed her friends encouraged the stunt.
- The incident caused minor but notable damage to decorative elements of the Renaissance-era fountain, with repair costs estimated at around €5,000.
- The Neptune Fountain, created by Bartolomeo Ammannati, has faced repeated tourist vandalism despite increased surveillance efforts.
- Authorities attribute the rise in such incidents to social media-driven challenges and are urging greater respect for Italy’s cultural heritage sites.
