See Rome’s Trevi Fountain dyed red by an anti-corruption activist

Friday, October 27, 2017 - 02:16 pm

An activist has repeated a stunt he pulled 10 years ago by throwing red dye into Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain.

Graziano Cecchini launched the attack on Thursday in protest against Rome’s “corruption and filth”.

Cecchini was seen climbing into the side of the fountain and pouring the blood-red dye, which he says will not permanently harm the fountain, into the water. Police then escorted him from the area.

In a statement, Cecchini said the protest was a “cry that Rome isn’t dead, that it’s alive and ready to return to be the capital of art, life and Renaissance”.

The fountain, which is nestled at the meeting point of three roads in the city, is thought to be lucky. Thousands of euros are cast over visitors’ left shoulders into the fountain every day, with the money donated to helping the city’s poor.

Soon after the incident, the fountain was drained to prevent permanent damage to the fountain.

The authorities were not impressed.

“Actions like this display ignorance and a total lack of civic sense,” said deputy mayor Luca Bergamo.

This isn’t the only stunt he has pulled in the city. As well as his previous fountain exploits, in 2008 he sent thousands of coloured plastic balls down Rome’s Spanish Steps.