14 Terrible Tourist Tales of Vandalism and Destruction

Two ex-Boy Scout leaders toppled over an ancient rock formation.
14 Terrible Tourist Tales of Vandalism and Destruction

Is it just me, or are tourists getting more and more entitled? They're brazenly committing acts of vandalism and destruction in some of the world's most beloved destinations.From Portugal to Peru, Thailand to Easter Island, it seems like no place is safe from the hands (and sometimes butts) of these wayward travelers.

So what's behind this uptick in bad behavior? Are people just generally becoming jerks? Or has social media given everyone a false sense of entitlement, leading them to believe that they can do whatever they want without consequences?

Whatever the reason, one thing is for sure: if you're thinking about vandalizing a cultural site on your next vacation, think again. Not only will you be deeply disappointing locals who take pride in their heritage, but you could also end up facing serious legal penalties. So please, for the sake of everyone involved - including yourself - keep your hands to yourself when traveling abroad.

Some idiot tourists thought it would be a good idea to turn the Scala dei Turchi red.

CRACKED SCALA DEI TURCHI Some tourists decided to defile one of Sicily's most loved tourist attractions in 2020. In 2020, the Scala dei Turchi was stained red after some idiot tourists thought it would be a good idea to defile one of Sicily's most loved tourist attractions. The marl cliffs are said to have once been a hiding place of pirates and they appear regularly as a backdrop in the popular Inspector Montalbano series.

BBC

An American tourist couple were caught on video damaging the Spanish Steps with their electric scooter.

CRACKED ROME An American couple e-scooted down the Spanish Steps. Two American tourists have been banned from Rome's Spanish Steps after they were caught on video damaging the historic monument by recklessly driving their electric scooters down the stairs. The couple was each fined €400, and the woman was charged with a complaint for damage to a monument property.

Aleteia

Venice's mayor calls for justice after a string of tourist transgressions.

CRACKED VENICE The only thing more destructive than the tide is a bikini-clad tourist. In 2022, there have been a slew of tourist transgressions in Venice, from skinny dipping in the UNESCO-preserved canals to vandalizing one of the city's iconic churches. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro called the vandalism a scar on the basilica and tweeted that those responsible must not go unpunished.

CNN

Vandals hit Plymouth, Massachusetts hard, leaving no landmark unscathed.

CRACKED PLYMOUTH, MA 50s FUCK you moss ppa Historic landmarks spray painted red. Two historic landmarks were vandalized with red spray paint in 2020. The Pilgrim Maiden statue, the National Monument to the Forefathers, and a seashell-shaped sign erected to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the pilgrims arriving on Mayflower were all hit.

Matador Network

"B" is for "Brittney," who was arrested for vandalism in Thailand.

CRACKED THAILAND We all know graffiti is bad, but this woman took it to a whole new level. Brittney Schneider, from Grande Prairie, Alta., was arrested for spray painting an ancient wall. She admitted to writing the letter В on the wall while her 23-year-old accomplice from Liverpool wrote Scouser Lee.

CTV

Vandalism

CRACKED THE COLOSSEUM Sir, this is not a giant, ancient Etch-a-Sketch. An Irish tourist was caught carving his initials into a pillar of Rome's Colosseum by security staff. The man's two initials, about 6 centimeters (2 inches) high, were carved with a metal point on a pillar of the first floor of the 2,000-year-old monument.

CNN

Be sure to ask before you take a selfie with any 18th-century statues in Lisbon.

CRACKED PORTUGAL Statues sentenced to death by selfie. A Brazilian tourist visiting Portugal knocked over and destroyed a priceless 18th-century statue in Lisbon's National Museum of Ancient Art while trying to take a selfie. This is the second instance of a tourist destroying a Lisbon statue while posing for a selfie.

CNTraveler / DailyMail 

Some tourists are behaving badly in Italy, much to the dismay of locals and authorities.

CRACKED ITALY Landmarks littered with abandoned drones and e-scooters. As Italy's tourism sector rejoices in the return of visitors, the behavior of some vacationers is proving less welcome. Drones have crashed into Italian landmarks, and electric scooters have been thrown down Rome's Spanish Steps, damaging the historic monuments.

Forbes

Former Boy Scout leaders given light sentence after toppling ancient rock formation.

CRACKED UTAH SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA Boy Scout leaders knocked over an ancient rock formation. Two ex-troop leaders filmed themselves knocking over the rock, and were sentenced to a year of probation and a fine, but no jail time. The boulder was estimated to be about 170 million years old.

NBC

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