Tourist filmed carving his girlfriend's name into Rome's Colosseum
By: Amarachi Orie CNN
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Tourist filmed carving his girlfriend's name into Rome's Colosseum
Pictured the exterior of Rome’s Colosseum on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2014 (Submitted by Sissi De Flaviis)
Italy’s culture minister is calling for a man to be “identified and sanctioned” after he was filmed allegedly carving his and his fiancée’s names into the Colosseum in Rome.
Gennaro Sangiuliano tweeted on Monday: “I consider it very serious, unworthy and a sign of great incivility that a tourist defaces one of the most famous places in the world, a historical heritage (site) such as the Colosseum, to carve the name of his fiancée.”
“I hope that whoever carried out this act will be identified and sanctioned according to our laws,” he continued.
The minister’s tweet included a blurred image of the young tourist, as well as a video that appeared to show him using keys to carve letters into one of the walls of the nearly 2,000-year-old amphitheater.
The inscription read “Ivan+Haley 23,” according to Italian news agency ANSA.
The alleged incident took place on Friday, and police were alerted by videos appearing on social media, ANSA reported.
If convicted of a crime, the man could face a fine of at least €15,000 (US$16,360) or up to five years in prison, the news agency said.
A similar incident occurred in 2020, when an Irish tourist was accused of vandalizing the Colosseum, after security staff spotted him allegedly carving his initials into the ancient structure and reported him to the police.
Reputo gravissimo, indegno e segno di grande inciviltà, che un turista sfregi uno dei luoghi più celebri al mondo, il Colosseo, per incidere il nome della sua fidanzata. Spero che chi ha compiuto questo gesto venga individuato e sanzionato secondo le nostre leggi. pic.twitter.com/p8Jss1GWuY
— Gennaro Sangiuliano (@g_sangiuliano) June 26, 2023
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I couldn't stop laughing when I read this story. Does that make me a terrible person?
No, at least I hope that it doesn't, because I smirked also. Some people have no clue.
Okay, well it's good to know I don't have a TOTALLY warped sense of humour.
Hmm so you would be ok if an Australian tourist carved a name into the Great Wall of China or hacked into something in Canada of National importance??
Yep on this you have a warped sense of humour..
Evening...my pleasure..😁😁
In defense of Buzz, I know the reason that I laughed when I read the headline is because of the sheer and vacant stupidity required to actually scratch something into the Colosseum. It is akin to wandering around the Louvre with a can of spray paint saying, "I will fix that painting." Totally clueless behavior. I hope they catch the guy.
Of course I thought of it the same way - the "chutzpah".
If they catch the guy and convict him he won't laugh with a fine and 5 years in prison.
Well, then he can carve his initials into the wall of the prison cell, but he might have to use his fingernails because I assume they don't allow anyone to have anything sharp in jail, and anyway he most likely won't have a poster of Rita Hayworth to cover his artistry..
So sick of wanker tourists who deface things where ever they go or cause trouble...and that includes Aussies..
There are exceptionally clear photos here of the Irish tourist doing this so for his sake he had better not be still in Italy...
Wonder what he would think if someone graffitied the Blarney stone or some other structure in Ireland..
Sorry but I don't see anything funny in it at all other than being a disgrace to their country...
Looks a pretty clear image to me..plus had his bimbo girl friend standing there watching him... can't fix stupid...