Like Anita Ekberg and Mastroianni: Rude newlyweds dive into the Trevi Fountain. Fined by traffic cops

Come summer, and immediately come the rude people in Rome. The scene has gone viral on social media: a tourist couple who, novella Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni, jumped into the Trevi Fountain last May 11, around 2 a.m., for a night swim. The problem is that the two were not in the solitude of the film La dolce vita, but they jumped in front of dozens of tourists who filmed them with their smartphones and uploaded the video to social media.

The video, quickly spread on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, shows the two foreign visitors, two tourists in their 50s, dressed up (she in a red dress, he in a black suit) who, heedless of the bans and regulations protecting historical monuments, decided to turn one of Rome’s most recognizable symbols into a stage for their impromptu dance. Also on the scene were the police officers who, as seen in the videos on social media, to the tune of “aò” asked the two in vain to leave: the couple finished their romantic dance and then paid the fine. After all, love is well worth a fine.

This incident is not an isolated case, but is part of a trend in which historical monuments and cultural sites are transformed into mere tourist attractions to be “consumed” without respect. With the arrival of the warm season, Rome is facing the usual invasion of visitors, some of whom seem to completely forget that they are in places of historical and artistic interest thousands of years old with rules to be respected.

Of course, the Trevi Fountain is not the only monument to suffer this kind of behavior. The Spanish Steps, the Colosseum, Piazza Navona and other symbolic places of the capital are increasingly the scene of similar episodes: tourists bathing in the fountains, climbing on the monuments for “perfect” selfies, consuming food and drinks in forbidden places, or leaving garbage where they should not.

Roman authorities have intensified controls and penalties for those who violate behavior regulations in historic places, but often this does not seem to be a sufficient deterrent. The problem is not only about the damage to aesthetics and decorum, but also about the potential compromise of works of art and monuments that have endured for centuries and represent not only Italian heritage, but that of all humanity.

The video of the couple dancing in the Trevi Fountain is just the latest in a long series of episodes that raise questions about the future of tourism in art cities. While social media continue to spread these behaviors, making the perpetrators of these gestures famous for a moment, the question remains as to what price will be paid in terms of preservation and respect for Italy’s cultural heritage.

Like Anita Ekberg and Mastroianni: Rude newlyweds dive into the Trevi Fountain. Fined by traffic cops

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