The British newspaper The Guardian reported that the red spots were discovered on Saturday morning. Vandals may have defaced the area the night before.
Easy to clean
The red color is caused by a powder called iron oxide. It’s very easy to clean, and the sea has already washed out some of the red. Volunteers and locals tried to clean up the slopes this weekend.
The president of Sicily, Nilo Musumesi, has nothing to say about sabotage. “The beautiful white rock of Marl, which attracts visitors from all over the world, is shamefully polluted,” he told the British newspaper. He talks about a “cowardly act”.
Candidate for the World Heritage List
The Scala dei Turchi (Turkish Steps) was nominated three years ago as a candidate for the UNESCO World Heritage List. Because the slopes were not well maintained, the area had to close last year.
The police are looking for potential culprits. There is still no trace of them. Investigators are trying to find out where the suspects purchased the red powder and hope to find them that way. Security footage was also shown.
