![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/imbecile-tourists-climb-on-172000-statue-causing-it-to-crash-to-the-ground/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/1_Imbecile-tourists-destroy-200000-statue-in-Italy.jpg&description=The statue was destroyed in Viggiu, in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, when a group of tourists apparently climbed on the stone figure and caused it to crash to the ground A group of tourists have been branded "imbeciles" for damaging a statue in Italy by clambering up and hugging the £172,000 piece of artwork. The group of visitors have come under fire for wrecking the stone figurine during what appeared to be a display of high jinks in Viggiu, in the northern Italian region of Lombardy. Two of the 17 pals were caught on CCTV scaling the 150-year-old artwork. They were seen wrapping their arms around the "Domina" sculpture while another pushed it with a stick. Sadly their roughhousing was too much for the rocky likeness, which crashed to the ground. The property's manager, Bruno Golferini, was left to call the police and report the group, who have now reportedly left Italy. He told an Italian news station: 'When we realised, it was too late. The boys did not respect the ban on entering the fountain and were filmed by video surveillance cameras while two of them embraced the statue, dropping it and destroying it, while four of their comrades shot videos with their cell phones.' The manager said the statue would be hard to repair due to additional damage caused to the fountain's tiles. The damaged "Domina" statue is by the artist Enrico Butti and is valued at £173,000. Matteo Salvini, Italy's deputy prime minister, weighed in on the issue, accusing the group if being 'imbeciles' instead of 'influencers'. Francesca Caruso, culture councillor for the Lombardy region, said: 'Those who damage the artistic and cultural heritage must pay a steep price.' The incident is the latest in a series of vandalism that has left Italy reeling and scared for the wellbeing of the ancient buildings and monuments which positively litter the country. In July, a British tourist was filmed carving his name in the Colosseum. Bristol-based Ivan Dimitrov later allegedly claimed he did){kind=link}
The statue was destroyed in Viggiu, in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, when a group of tourists apparently climbed on the stone figure and caused it to crash to the ground
A group of tourists have been branded “imbeciles” for damaging a statue in Italy by clambering up and hugging the £172,000 piece of artwork.
The group of visitors have come under fire for wrecking the stone figurine during what appeared to be a display of high jinks in Viggiu, in the northern Italian region of Lombardy. Two of the 17 pals were caught on CCTV scaling the 150-year-old artwork.
They were seen wrapping their arms around the “Domina” sculpture while another pushed it with a stick. Sadly their roughhousing was too much for the rocky likeness, which crashed to the ground.
The property’s manager, Bruno Golferini, was left to call the police and report the group, who have now reportedly left Italy. He told an Italian news station: “When we realised, it was too late. The boys did not respect the ban on entering the fountain and were filmed by video surveillance cameras while two of them embraced the statue, dropping it and destroying it, while four of their comrades shot videos with their cell phones.”