American tourist smashes two sculptures in the Vatican

[Eugene]

Source: CNN via CTV News

American tourist smashes two sculptures in the Vatican

Julia Buckley
CNN Digital
Published Oct. 6, 2022 7:16 a.m. EDT

Just when you thought the summer of tourists behaving badly was over, another person on vacation wrecks another priceless artifact.

This time it's the turn of an American tourist who smashed no fewer than two ancient Roman sculptures into pieces at the Vatican on Wednesday.

The episode took place in the Museo Chiaramonti, part of the Vatican Museums, around lunchtime. The space holds around 1,000 works of ancient statuary, and describes itself as "one of the finest collections of Roman portraits" in the world.

Two of those portraits are now facing an uncertain future after the tourist knocked over one in anger, then toppled another as he fled the scene.

The man had demanded to see the pope, ...

-snip-

Read more: https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/american-tourist-smashes-two-sculptures-in-the-vatican-1.6098363

[onecaliberal]

1. Throw away the key. These fucking 2 year olds in adult bodies are ridiculous already.

[hlthe2b]

3. Yup... The "Ugly American" is not just an elitist slur from Europeans on American tourists...

It is all too often, true, especially in recent years.

[Elessar Zappa]

15. I was touring a castle in Scotland with a tourist group.

We were shown a bookcase that had books as old as 700 years. We were told to absolutely not touch them. So, a guy with a maga hat on in our group smiles and proceeds to poke one of the books, just to be an asshole.

[hlthe2b]

16. It has been decades since I joined any fellow Americans (knowingly) when overseas...

I tend to immerse into local culture, stay in more off-beat B&Bs, hotels, and hostels (usually when working in a country semi-long-term), and make a bee-line when I hear American accents for the most part. Of course, I'd help if someone needed it, but my confidence in traveling by myself or with a few others who feel similarly was honed a long time ago. So from that outside perspective, I've seen quite a lot--mostly unpleasant from American tourists. There are exceptions, of course--typically a kindly and curious person--often with little education--but one that just likes people and cultivates "friends" everywhere. I still remember an older Midwestern retired farmer and his wife. I'd bet those with whom he interacted remembered them fondly for years as well.

This kind of boorish behavior as in your example is not forgotten by the locals, unfortunately.

[dalton99a]

2. Identify the asshole

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Sounds like mental issues. The Pope is not someone you just drop by to visit anytime.

Anyone who drops in and demands an immediate audience is out of touch with reality.

[XanaDUer2]

5. Another priceless artifacts destroyed. Nt

[DURHAM D]

6. He is confused.

1) He is in the Vatican, not the Capitol.

2) It is October 6th not January 6th.

[MagickMuffin]

7. 50 year old babyman has tantrum and destroys things

Then runs away. Glad he got caught.

But he should have just fallen on the floor flailing about.

[Scrivener7]

8. But he was ENTITLED to see the pope! It was the fault of the people who

wouldn't let him!

Fuck, I hate to hate, but I hate these people.

[blm]

9. Probably a Qnut Republican who thinks Pope is a commie

running a pedophile ring with Hillary.

[2naSalit]

10. ...

[kimbutgar]

11. I was in that gallery how awful!

It is so embarrassing for us Americans that one dummy would do that!

[Oneironaut]

12. Sometimes our glaring mental health issues escape the mainland and travel across the sea.

[Sneederbunk]

13. Let him see the Pope.

A well-placed crotch kick from the Pope would be in order.

[Deep State Witch]

14. This is why

American tourists get a bad reputation overseas.