June 25th 2023.
A tourist was recently caught on camera carving a message into the ancient walls of Rome's Colosseum using a set of keys. Footage posted on Reddit showed the man wearing shorts and a t-shirt carrying a backpack, and using his keys to inscribe 'Hayley' into the walls of the 1,937-year-old building. The man looked into the camera with a grin, seemingly not caring that he was damaging an ancient monument.
Outraged Reddit users quickly slammed the man, calling him an 'a**hole'. They even suggested sending the video to the police, in the hopes that he would be arrested and face the consequences. Law enforcement can impose a hefty fine of up to £16,000 on anyone caught vandalizing the Colosseum. They can even face up to a year in jail.
In 2014, a 42-year-old Russian tourist was caught carving a 25cm 'K' into the historic building and was fined £15,800. The director of the Colosseum, Rossella Rea, emphasized the severity of this act, as the visitor had damaged "a magnificent and symbolic monument".
The same happened in 2020 when an Irish tourist was accused of vandalizing the building. Security staff spotted him allegedly carving his initials into the ancient Italian structure, about 6 centimeters high, using a metal point on a pillar of the first floor.
The Colosseum is considered one of the seven wonders of the world and is a World Heritage Site. It was the biggest amphitheatre built in the Roman Empire, hosting gladiatorial fights and other public entertainment. Although it was not unusual for ancient Romans to paint scenes from the arena and famous gladiators on the walls, graffiti is still forbidden and damaging the monument is a serious offense.
One user said on Reddit: "I was there and saw that too. The guy didn't even think he was doing something wrong." Another user noted: "Rome is awash in graffiti. This is a tourist being an a** though... what a colossal d*** thing to do."
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