Law for the protection of cultural property in Italy

In Italy, the right-wing coalition government has adopted a new bill providing financial penalties for acts that damage cultural heritage assets.

In a written statement made by the Prime Minister, the council of ministers convened last night approved the bill, which brings new financial sanctions for the destruction of cultural heritage or landscape assets, with the recommendation of the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano. Consequently, in addition to the current criminal sanctions, an administrative fine of between 20,000 and 60,000 euros will be imposed on anyone who defaces elements of cultural heritage or renders them useless.

Those who tarnish or destroy cultural property will also be penalized with fines of 10,000 euros to 40,000 euros.

The bill indicated that the economic resources obtained from these sanctions will be donated to the Ministry of Culture for the restoration and cleaning of damaged cultural property. It was noted that the government will take the necessary measures so that the bill is quickly approved by the upper house of parliament, the Senate and the lower house of the House of Representatives, to become law.

ATTACKS BY CLIMATE ACTIVISTS INCREASE

The Minister of Culture Sangiuliano, in his statement, said that the cleaning of the sprayed paint cost the Senate 40,000 euros and said: “Whoever does damage must pay personally.”

In Italy, many historic buildings, monuments, fountains, and the Senate building, Palazzo Madama, and the historic Palazzo Vecchio, which was used as Florence’s City Hall, were the subject of a painted attack by climate activists. Climate activists calling themselves “The Last Generation (Ultima Generazione)” recently poured a carbon-based liquid into Rome’s 17th-century Barcaccia fountain, turning the fountain’s water black on April 1.

In March, the “last generation (Ultima Generazione)” sprayed orange paint on the exterior of Florence City Hall, Palazzo Vecchio and red paint on the Vittorio Emanuele 2 monument in Milan. Activists also sprayed red paint on the front of the Senate building in January. (AA)