Italy’s ‘Robin Hoods’ reveal the dark side of a beautiful country
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A gang of activists known as the ‘Robin Hood band’ are attacking properties in a controversial protest against the spread of short-term rentals. The vigilante group, which takes its name from the legendary figure who stole from the rich to give to the poor, are fighting against overtourism in major Italian cities including Rome, Florence and Venice.
They argue that platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo are destroying the fabric of local communities, deepening Italy’s housing crisis by driving up rents and pushing residents out in favour of visitors. One tactic, widely documented on Italian social media, involves sabotaging the lock boxes that hold the keys to B&Bs, preventing tourists from accessing their accommodation.
![[Trevi fountain, Rome, Lazio, Italy]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-906618744.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The saboteurs leave behind Robin Hood-style hats and letters describing their vandalism as attacks on the rich, a nod to increasing anti-establishment activism around the world. While the disruption has divided opinion, with many condemning the targeting of tourists and private property, the Robin Hood protests expose the dark side of tourism in one of Europe’s most popular countries.
![[TOPSHOT-ITALY-TOURISM-VENICE-TICKET-FEE]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2149528878.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video. Up Next. The demonstrations recently hit Bologna, where the window of the tourist office on Via Guerrazzi was scrawled with the words: ‘Stop Airbnb! Robin Hood.’.
![[Protestors Demonstrate Against High Rental Apartment Costs]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-2185619226.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
A letter pinned to the wall beside the message said: ‘If Bologna is not overtouristed like other European cities, it is still not livable. It is still the second most expensive city in Italy. And so we must continue to strike those who deface wealth in the face of other people.’.
