Rome mayor slams vandalism at Colosseum.
A Ukrainian tourist was cited by Rome police on Friday for carving his name into the Colosseum, in the latest act of vandalism against Italy’s historic landmarks this summer.
The 19-year-old visitor, visiting the Colosseum with two friends, used a key to deface a wall between the entrance of the first level of the ancient amphiteatre and the atrium, Il Messaggero reports.
Another tourist witnessed the young man’s actions and immediately alerted security officials who detained him until the arrival of police.
The man was then taken to the nearby police station where he was cited for causing damage to cultural heritage, a crime that can carry a two-year jail term and a fine of up to €15,000, according to Corriere della Sera.
In a statement Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri complimented the police for apprehending the perpetrator of the vandalism, saying: “In a city rich in treasures that are the heritage of humanity, there can certainly be no space for hooligans and idiots”.
Earlier this week the city of Florence released a statement about two tourists who risk being fined up to €40,000 for defacing the Ponte Vecchio bridge, under Italy’s tough new laws to protect monuments and cultural heritage.
Last summer a UK-based Bulgarian man sparked uproar after he carved “Ivan+Hayley 23” into a Colosseum wall, later claiming that he hadn’t realised the building was ancient.
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