People who practice parkour are being criticized for causing harm to a historic Italian city.

For those who practice parkour, the idea of jumping from building to building in an ancient city may seem like a dream come true. However, this exhilarating sport can also have its consequences, as seen during a recent trip by a London-based parkour group to the historic city of Matera in Italy.

Known as Team Phat, these freerunners took to the streets of Matera, running, climbing, and leaping over its precious structures. Unfortunately, one of the team members caused a segment of a historic building to fall off, resulting in both himself and the building part crashing to the ground.

Matera, a city of ancient stone dating back to the Paleolithic era, holds great historical significance and was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1993. It was also named the European Capital of Culture in 2019. Despite its beauty and cultural importance, the city has recently become a popular destination for tourists, thanks to its picturesque streets and Instagram-worthy spots.

However, this increase in visitors has also brought about concerns regarding the behavior of travelers at sites of architectural beauty. In a video posted on YouTube two months ago, Team Phat showcased their stunts in Matera with a caption explaining that they were "in the beautiful city of Matera" and that one of their members had a "scary fall that could have been really bad."

The video shows the freerunner attempting to use a stone ledge to jump to another building, but the ledge could not withstand his force and dramatically broke off. Despite an off-camera team member suggesting to "hide the evidence," the injured freerunner, Devon McIntosh, showed his leg injury to the camera.

The video has attracted criticism on social media, with one Instagram user commenting, "This city is a UNESCO heritage site for a reason. We should enjoy our [parkour] discipline as much as possible, but we should also watch where we step, not only for safety but also for respect of culture and history."

Matera is not the only city facing issues with misbehaving visitors. In Venice, Team Phat had previously been banned for jumping into a canal, prompting the city's mayor to comment, "This 'subject' should be given a certificate of STUPIDITY." As a result, entry fee tickets were introduced in Venice, and the city has become the first in the world to take this step in preserving its fragile beauty.

In March 2023, a historic district in Kyoto, Japan, also announced a ban on tourists following local frustrations about their poor behavior and failure to follow Japanese customs and etiquette. These incidents serve as a reminder for travelers to be mindful of their actions and show respect for the culture and history of the places they visit.

Matera's police force has been reached out to for comment on the parkour incident, highlighting the impact that such behavior can have on local communities. As we continue to travel and explore new places, let us also remember to do so responsibly and with consideration for the places and people we encounter along the way.

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