New Zealand Tourist Fined €500, Banned After Diving Into Rome's Trevi Fountain

6 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 19

A 30-year-old New Zealand tourist was fined €500 and barred from Rome’s Trevi Fountain after diving into the landmark fully clothed and staying in the water despite police orders.
A TikTok video viewed more than 12 million times showed him backing up, sprinting toward the fountain and jumping in as nearby crowds watched before security escorted him away.
The incident triggered broad online backlash, with commenters calling the act disrespectful and some arguing Italian authorities should have imposed a harsher penalty.
The case adds to repeated breaches at the Trevi Fountain, where Rome tightened protections and began charging foreign visitors an entry fee in February 2026 to curb overcrowding and damage.
Rome officials say the site draws tens of thousands of visitors a day and more than 9 million a year, making enforcement a recurring challenge.

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