Drunk Tourist Who Jumped in Rome’s Trevi Fountain Banned for Life and Fined

One tourist is paying the price after going for an illegal dip at a historic landmark.

On Sunday, March 3, three visitors from New Zealand decided to wade into the waters of Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain.

According to CNN, the group was being escorted away from the popular tourist spot by Rome Capital Police when one of them, a 30-year-old man, broke free and jumped back into the water.

The Rome Capital Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE for comment, but a spokesperson for the police department told CNN, “Alcohol was definitely involved.” 

The double-dipper was fined 500 euros (around $540) and received a lifetime ban from visiting the fountain.

The trio are far from the first tourists to disrespect the Baroque water feature, which was completed in 1762, despite the many signs around it indicating the penalties for attempting to enter or drink the water.

Back in August 2023, a woman was caught climbing into the fountain to fill her water bottle directly from the spout. In the video shared to TikTok, the visitor can be seen climbing over the barricade to walk over the large rocks to reach the spout. 

Almost immediately, a loud whistle is blown by a police officer in a bright yellow vest and, after the traveler descends, she is approached by the officer and is escorted away.

Trevi is also a frequent site for activism because of it’s high profile, with individuals and groups dumping objects and dyes into the water to bring attention to their message. 

Most notably, Italian activist Graziano Cecchini vandalized the fountain with red dye in 2007 and 2017, per Artnet News, as an act of protest to bring awareness to the alleged corruption in the Italian government.