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Louise Thomas

Editor

A tour guide in Bruges was pushed off a bridge in front of a horrified group of tourists for “destroying” the city’s cultural heritage by sitting down.

Pascal Gerritsen, a 31-year-old Dutch tour guide, was sent plunging into the Dijver Canal when an unidentified man on a bicycle shoved him off his perch on St Bonifacius Bridge.

Gerritsen said: “When I was sitting on the bridge, someone popped up behind me and pushed me into the water using both his hands”, reported VRT News.

A man who called himself the “Masked Lover of Architecture” told VRT that he is the one who deliberately pushed Pascal as he has “no respect for architecture”.

“It is forbidden to use street furniture, eg benches, dustbins, lampposts, to address tour participants,” the assailant wrote of his motivation.

The vigilante said that if the guide was allowed to climb on Bruges’ medieval architecture “unchallenged” it would “destroy our cultural heritage by setting an example to thousands of tourists that this can and may be done by a guide”.

The popular Belgian city is visited by around eight million tourists annually and footfall is high to the local landmarks and cobbled streets.

Jo Berten, the president of the Royal Guides Association of Bruges, said Pascal was previously warned of his “theatrical approach to guiding” and standing on benches and walls to address groups.

“We can’t discipline him ourselves because he doesn’t actually belong to the official guides’ association. I know these things happen due to his enthusiasm. But to take the law into your own hands and throw someone into the water, that’s a step too far!,” said Berten to VRT.

The Dutch guide filed a police complaint following the incident and the authorities are examining CCTV footage to identify the “Masked Lover of Architecture”.

For more travel news and advice listen to Simon Calder’s podcast.

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