It's a Brit: Colosseum vandaliser identified by Italian police, could face 5 years in jail
Tourist captured carving names on the walls of the Colosseum.
The Italian authorities have identifieda man from England as the possible suspect behind vandalism in the ancient Colosseum. Lastweek, a man wearing a blue flowery shirt was filmed by a fellow tourist carving his and his girlfriend's name into an internal wall of the 2,000-year-old monument.
Although the police have not named the suspect, the inscription by the suspect read “Ivan + Hayley 23”, which provides a solid clue as to what the name could be. Italian media reports claimed that Ivan lives in Bristol and the police will be sending a note to his address, informing him that he is under investigation.
The police spent the last four days sifting through photos and surveillance footage at the Colosseum - one of the seven wonders of the world. If convicted, he faces a fine of at least €15,000 (£12,900) and a prison term of up to five years.
Commenting on the identification of the culprit, Italian culture minister, Gennaro Sangiuliano, thanked the police.
“It was an act that offended those around the world who appreciate the value of archaeology, monuments and history. Now I hope justice will take its course by rigorously applying the laws.”
Earlier,Sangiuliano had called defacing the Colosseum, a 'sign of great incivility'.
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“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."
Video goes viral
The video titled "A**hole tourist carves name in Colosseum in Rome" went viral on social media platforms and showed Ivan using keys to etch names into the historical amphitheatre.
“Are you serious, man? That is f**ked up, man. Stupid a**hole,” one person was heard questioning Ivan.
The netizens were furious at the man for desecrating the monument.When the video was shared on Reddit, several users started appealing for the man’s arrest.
“They got his face, so hopefully he’s arrested and charged,” one user stated. Meanwhile, another called out the girl who did not object to Ivan writing her name.
“The fact she stood there the whole time and went along with it means she’s just as much of the problem as he is. F – – k ‘em both,” wrote the original poster.
Notably, this is not the first time when the Colosseum has been defaced by tourists. In 2020, a 32-year-old man from Ireland was caught using a metal point to carve his initials into a pillar of the monument. A month later, a teenager was caught doing the same.
(With inputs from agencies)
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