A 30-year-old New Zealand tourist jumped fully clothed into Rome's Trevi Fountain on May 16, defying police orders to stay out of the water, officials said [1, 2, 3]. Bystanders captured the incident on video, which was posted on TikTok and has since attracted over 12 million views [1, 3].

The tourist was fined 500 euros and banned from returning to the landmark, a Rome police spokesperson confirmed [1, 2, 3]. The fine is roughly equivalent to 580 US dollars, according to most sources [2, 3]. Some sources reported a higher conversion amount but officials used the lower figure [1, 2, 3].

The Trevi Fountain draws more than 9 million annual visitors and tens of thousands daily, making it one of Rome's busiest landmarks [1, 3]. Since February 2026, tourists must pay a 2 euro fee to approach the fountain’s edge. The fee has generated over 1.3 million euros in revenue in the first three months, Rome officials said [2, 3].

Local residents and social media users criticized the 500 euro fine as too lenient and called for harsher penalties. Some suggested fines up to 5,000 euros or imprisonment for similar offenses. One Facebook user wrote, “500欧元根本不痛不痒。如果是5,000欧元，他们才会真正考虑后果” (500 euros does not hurt; only a 5,000 euro fine would make them consider consequences) [2]. Another said, “罰款應該提高到5,000歐元” (Fines should be raised to 5,000 euros) and others demanded immediate arrest and no bail [2]. Giovanni Pattini, a local resident, said he was "powerless and angry" that such a serious incident occurred in a well-monitored area [2].

Authorities have boosted security near the fountain following recent unrest, including a fight between two criminal gangs last week that left three hospitalized [2]. Measures include 24-hour police patrols, fencing to manage crowds, and increased surveillance cameras [2]. The coins thrown into the fountain daily total around 3,000 euros and are periodically collected and donated to charity [2].

A similar incident occurred last year when another New Zealand tourist from London jumped into the fountain and received the same penalty of a fine and ban [2].

Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said, "We are proud to have implemented this system and to reinvest resources into the maintenance of our cultural heritage" [2]. He declined to comment on calls for harsher penalties.

The tourist must pay the fine promptly and is prohibited from returning to Trevi Fountain under the city's administrative ban. Police said enforcement will continue to prevent future violations [1, 2, 3].