Rome heritage restorer calls for heavier fines to tackle urban vandalism
An architectural restorer cleaning Rome’s historic monuments is campaigning for stricter financial penalties against vandals, highlighting the economic burden of urban degradation on Europe’s most visited cultural assets.
Valerio Tuveri, a 28-year-old architectural restorer, is using a high-pressure sand blaster to remove indiscriminate graffiti from Rome’s historic walls. Operating under the social media moniker "the guy who cleans Rome", he recently cleared fresh spray paint from the newly restored walls of the Villa Sciarra landmark.
The clean-up at Villa Sciarra drew curious residents, some of whom joined the effort. However, the surrounding streets in the Trastevere district remain heavily tagged, illustrating the sheer scale of the maintenance burden facing the Italian capital.
Tuveri argues that the sheer volume of tagging degrades the city's core economic and cultural appeal. "I decided to take this path, this 'battle', against graffiti because Rome is, in my opinion, the most beautiful city in the world, but at the same time the most vandalised city in Europe," he said.
He draws a firm line between recognized street art and the meaningless tags defacing monuments, private homes and vehicles. Under current Italian law, damaging property of significant historical or artistic value carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison or a fine of approximately €2,000.
Tuveri believes these existing deterrents are insufficient and is urging the government to mandate more surveillance cameras and stricter security checks. He argues that financial consequences are the only effective way to change offender behavior.
"You can tell people whatever you want, but when you hit them in the wallet, they start to feel it," Tuveri stated. "We need harsh penalties, hefty fines and lots of cameras."
The campaign underscores a broader public policy challenge across Europe regarding the protection of cultural heritage. As historic cities compete for international tourism revenue, the rising cost of constantly repairing vandalized public assets places a heavy strain on municipal budgets. Private conservation efforts, like those at Villa Sciarra, are frequently undermined by repeat offenses.
Through his viral documentation of each restoration, Tuveri hopes to shift public perception. His goal is to convince citizens and visitors alike to treat the historic urban fabric as a protected economic asset rather than a blank canvas.
