Identity is destroyed, history is revised: the targeting of cultural heritage and soft targets by illegal actors

On May 27, 1993, a car bomb exploded on the side of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, killing five people, injuring about 30 others, and destroying hundreds of priceless art objects in the museum’s collection. It was done. Many claim that the gallery may have been a target of the Cosa Nostra, or Sicilian Mafia. The reason for this is not only in retaliation for the repression of the organization, but also because the gallery embodies the symbolism of Italian culture and the Italian nation. As an open access museum and protected as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the city of Florence not only protects its cultural heritage from risks, but also, most importantly, ensures that it is always open and accessible to the public. They have unique challenges in maintaining their condition. public. Not limited to the example of Florence, this challenge is universal in the protection of cultural heritage around the world. Its symbolic importance and the fact that it attracts large numbers of civilians and is not always adequately protected means that cultural heritage sites, which are also considered so-called “soft targets,” can become prime targets for violence. means. The objectives of illegal actors, including criminals and terrorists.

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