Tourist sparks outrage in Florence after simulating sex with beloved statue of Bacchus

17 July 2024, 12:56

A woman has sparked outrage in Florence after simulating a sex act with a beloved local statue.

The tourist, whose identity is unknown, is pictured climbing onto a replica of Giambologna's Bacchus before kissing the iconic statue.

As her friends watched on and took photos, the blonde woman grinds on the statue leading officials to demand a “zero tolerance” approach to such acts.

“Florence is a city that does not make visitors respect it,” Patrizia Asproni from Confcultura, a cultural heritage organisation said.

“These continuous manifestations of rudeness and incivility occur because everyone feels entitled to do what they want with impunity,'

She called for a “zero tolerance approach” and demanded the city implement the “Singapore model.”

Meanwhile, police chief Antonella Ranaldi said: “Tourists are welcome, but there must be respect for our monuments, whether they are originals or copies.

“Also because I doubt that this lady, who has my blame, knows the difference.”

Marco Passeri, a former councillor for Florence, added: “Are we sure we need this kind of tourists in Florence?”

The footage of the unnamed woman spread quickly across Italian social media threads, causing outrage.

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One fuming person wrote: “We should force tourists to take a test on Florence before they can set foot in the city.”

"This is the result of years of attempts at turning Florence into Disneyland," said another.

While others demanded the woman be identified and sent to prison.

The statue featured in the footage is a replica of Giambologna's Bacchus, which was created in the 1560s and is kept at the Bargello Museum.

In 2006, a replica replaced it in its original location.

This comes just days after a group of furious anti-tourism protesters targeted diners in Barcelona by spraying them with water guns before blocking exits to popular hotels.

Footage from the scene shows protesters marching down the streets waving placards with the messages 'tourists go home' and 'you are not welcome here'.

Water guns were then fired at people who protesters claimed were tourists visiting the Catalan capital.

Guests were also stopped from leaving their hotels as protesters taped up their exits and started chanting abuse.

One of the primary concerns among protesters is the availability of housing, which they claim is being prioritised for tourists in the form of short-term holiday lets.

The Spanish Government has recently announced it is planning a crackdown on holiday lets, such as AirBnbs.

New plans will require neighbours to approve any move by a property owner to turn their home into a short-term holiday rental.