2023-06-28 20:41:08
Italy’s culture and tourism ministers have vowed to identify and punish a tourist who was filmed carving names into a wall at the Rome Coliseuma crime that in the past resulted in large fines.
Video of the incident went viral on social media, at a time when Romans have already been complaining about the hordes of tourists flooding the city in record numbers this season.
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An English-speaking man was filmed carving “Ivan + Hayley 23” into a brick of the nearly 2,000-year-old monument on Friday with a key.
The suspect, who has not yet been identified, turned around and smiled when a passerby asked, “Are you serious, man?”
Italy’s culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano shared the video, describing it as “very serious, undignified and a sign of great impoliteness for a tourist to deface one of the most famous places in the world, the Colosseum, to carve the name of his fiancée.” ”.
“I hope they identify whoever did this and punish them according to our laws,” he added.
The Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanche, also said that she hopes that the tourist will be sanctioned “so that he understands the seriousness of the gesture.”
Calling for respect for Italy’s culture and history, he vowed: “We cannot allow those who visit our nation to feel free to behave in this way.”
If found guilty, the man could face a fine of at least €15,000 and even a possible prison sentence.
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Alfonsina Russo, director of the Coliseum, reported that the Carabineros Weapon was tracking the suspect and “we will see if we can catch him.”
The Italians criticized the tourist on social media, accusing him of “absolutely despicable behaviour”.
“Americans always think they own everything they walk on,” wrote one Twitter user.
However, it is not the first time tourists have been fined for defacing the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 2014, a Russian tourist was fined €20,000 for carving a “K” into a wall, and received a suspended sentence of four years in prison.
The following year, two American tourists were also cited for aggravated damages after they carved their names into the monument.
Italian tourism lobby group Federturismo, backed by the ISTAT statistics office, estimated that 2023 is shaping up to be a record for visitors to Italy, surpassing even pre-pandemic levels that peaked in 2019.
The Colosseum was the largest amphitheater in the Roman empire and remains the most popular tourist attraction in Italy.
With media information
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