Two US tourists fined and banned from Rome’s Spanish Steps after throwing scooter down monument | World News

Two American tourists have been fined and banned from Rome’s Spanish Steps after one of them was filmed throwing a scooter down the famous monument.

A 28-year-old woman and 29-year-old man were caught on camera at the world heritage site in the early hours of last Friday morning.

According to Rome’s police, the woman “purposely launched the scooter” down the 18th century Trinità de Monti staircase.

Italian newspaper La Repubblica said they caused €25,000 (£21,400) in damage. In a video shared by the newspaper, the man can be seen holding his scooter by the handlebars while his female companion throws hers down half a flight of steps.

The pair were stopped by police and fined €400 each (£343) and banned from going to the Piazza di Spagna for two days, the newspaper said.

It comes just weeks after a man drove his Maserati down the steps, and was charged with “aggravated damage to cultural and monumental assets”.

Rome’s heritage protection body said the car caused fractures to the 16th and 29th steps of the right-hand staircase.

In recent years the marble steps have been discoloured by pollution, as well as being stained by wine and coffee spills.

Luxury jeweller Bulgari funded a €1.5m (£1.38m) restoration of the steps in 2015.

In 2019, tourists were banned from sitting on the steps in a bid to crack down on unruly visitors.

The landmark was made famous by the 1953 film Roman Holiday which starred Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.

It is classed as one of Rome’s architectural masterpieces and was designed by Francesco de Sanctis between 1723 and 1726.