Two American citizens were arrested in Paris after being busted for spending the night inside the iconic Eiffel Tower.
The operator of the Eiffel Tower tells Scripps News that two men bought tickets to go up the tower on Sunday but were found by security guards on Monday in a restricted area between the 2nd and 3rd levels of the tower during their routine check before the tower's public opening.
Now, prosecutors in Paris are saying that the two men appear to have gotten stuck because of how drunk they were. The identities of the tourists was not disclosed.
The arrests follow an incident in Rome last month, in which a tourist was caught climbing on the historic Trevi Fountain to fill her water bottle.
In video footage, police are seen shouting and blowing their whistle at the tourist before the police officer and the woman are seen walking away together. However, it’s not known where the woman was from or if any charges or fines were issued then.
But she's not the only alone. There was also an incident in June when two tourists scratched their names "Ivan+Haley 23" into the iconic Colosseum in the heart of Rome.
The Italian authorities certainly take this kind of thing very seriously. If you're found guilty of "damaging a cultural asset," you can face a fine of at least €15,000 ($16,360) or up to five years in prison.
As for the French, according to thelocal government, unauthorized "alterations" of a historic monument are considered criminal offenses, and the person could face a minimum of seven years in prison and a fine of at least €100,000 ($108,814).
However, in the case of the Eiffel tower sleepover, "as no damage was found, the fine for trespassing on a historic or cultural site was dismissed," the Paris prosecutor’s office told CNN.
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