Female Tourist Hanging on Statue for Lewd Act... Florence in Uproar

'Bakus' Statue Climbing and Kissing
Locals Outraged, Demand "Punishment"

A female tourist visiting Florence, Italy, was caught climbing onto a statue and engaging in obscene acts, sparking outrage among locals.

According to the BBC on the 18th (local time), photos recently posted on the social media account of the Florence tourism group 'Welcome to Florence' show a female tourist climbing onto the statue of Bacchus, the god of wine, kissing it, and making gestures reminiscent of sexual acts, causing a scandal.

A female tourist is seen climbing on the 'Bacchus' statue and kissing it in Florence, Italy. [Image source: 'Welcome to Florence' social media (SNS) capture]

In the photos, a blonde woman wearing a short skirt is seen climbing onto the statue and giving it a passionate kiss. In another photo, she presses her body against the statue, performing actions suggestive of sexual activity. This statue is located near the famous tourist spot Ponte Vecchio in Florence and is a replica modeled after a 16th-century work by sculptor Giambologna (1529?1608). The original sculpture is kept at the nearby Bargello Museum.

Italian citizens are furious, demanding "arrest and punish this woman." One citizen criticized her actions as "an attempt to turn Florence, the city of cultural heritage, into a playground like Disneyland." Patricia Asproni, president of Concultura, an association promoting Italian cultural heritage, stated, "The reason rude and barbaric behavior keeps recurring is because there are no punishments," and argued, "Strict controls, heavy fines, and a zero-tolerance policy like Singapore's should be implemented." Florence archaeologist Antonella Rinaldi pointed out, "Tourists should be welcomed, but they must respect our artworks, whether originals or replicas."

'Troublesome' Tourist Misconduct Continues Unabated

In Florence, Italy, various incidents caused by 'troublesome' tourists continue without end. In January last year, an American tourist was caught driving a car on the pedestrian-only Ponte Vecchio and was fined 500 euros. In August last year, two German tourists in their 20s vandalized the Vasari Corridor, a representative architectural site in Florence, by spray-painting graffiti. They sprayed "DKS 1860" in black paint on seven columns of the corridor. The Italian government charged them approximately 10,000 euros (about 14 million KRW) for restoration costs. In September last year, a German male tourist in his 20s was arrested for damaging the Neptune Fountain statue, made in the 16th century, after climbing on it to take a commemorative photo, facing charges of cultural heritage damage.

The number of tourists visiting Florence reached about 1.5 million in just three months from June to September last year. This figure is more than four times the city's population of approximately 380,000. Local residents complain about difficulties in daily life due to so-called 'overtourism,' with narrow alleys being overcrowded with people.