Rome- A 21-year-old American tourist suffering from ALS was carried to the Colosseum by two local police officers because of the  dysfunctional escalator in the Largo Gaetana Agnesi.

For months the unidirectional escalator has been at a standstill, causing the 21-year-old to ask for help, which she then received from two onsite police officers who took her in their arms and carried her all the way to the entrance of the Colosseum where they let her enjoy her visit. 

 Although the incident showed great kindness on the part of the police officers it also signals a bigger issue that is occurring in Rome and wider Italy.

 The Roman Secretary of SUPL, Marco Milani explained that: “It happens in Rome, the capital, where not even its symbolic monument is immune to the obstacles of architectural barriers,” he further explained that: “is also this, to intervene to try to remedy the needs of the people. Unfortunately, Rome proves to be lacking in the services offered and also lacking in agents, understaffed by over 3000 units.” 

 The malfunctioning and outdated escalators and stations around the city are an even greater cause of concern with the upcoming Jubilee which will run from December 2024 until January 2026, which is expected to cause big influxes of tourists according to Milani. 

 Federico Rocca, municipal councilor of Fratelli d'Italia, seemed outraged by the incident when he commented: "At the Colosseum, a scene not worthy of an Italian capital." He also praised the police officers saying they showed “great humanity” for helping the girl. 

 Rocca then underlined defensively that: “The stairs that lead from Largo Gaetano Agnesi to the Colosseum have been fenced off for months because they were declared unsafe and the one-way escalator inside the Colosseum stop on line B has been standing still for months.” 

 And he recalled: "Twice I presented an agenda to the Capitoline assembly to ask for funds precisely for the removal of architectural barriers and they were rejected.”

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