Italian police are searching for two English-speaking tourists who were filmed skinny-dipping in a fountain at a monument in Rome, the Guardian reports.
Police have called on the capital city’s consulates to look for the pair of male tourists, who stripped down to their underwear before jumping in the fountain of Altare della Patria, or Altar of the Fatherland.
The 19th century monument celebrates the unification and liberation of Italy, as well as commemorating the country’s fallen soldiers.
The two were seen skipping in the fountain and posing for photos by other tourists.
The Brief Newsletter
In a statement, police said the act was outrageous and that it “seriously offended the national feeling and the memory of the fallen to whom the monument is dedicated,” the Guardian reports. If caught, they will face a fine of at least $460.
“I would know how to ‘educate’ these idiots if they get caught, Italy is not their bathroom!” wrote Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Twitter.
Authorities regularly deal with unruly tourists at the city’s abundant historical monuments. Fountain-jumping is an issue, especially in the summer. Some tourists have even gone as far as carving their initials into the Colosseum.
A tour guide who caught the episode on film said while filming, “This enters into the history of Rome … mamma mia … it’s absurd.”
SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT
