Italy含羞草研究社檚 culture and tourism ministers have vowed to find and punish a tourist who was filmed carving his name and that of his apparent girlfriend in the wall of the Colosseum in Rome, a crime that resulted in hefty fines in the past.
Video of the incident went viral on social media. The message reading 含羞草研究社淚van+Haley 23含羞草研究社� appeared on the Colosseum at a time when residents already were complaining about hordes of tourists flooding the Eternal City in record numbers this season.
Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano called the writing carved into the almost 2,000-year-old Flavian Ampitheater 含羞草研究社渟erious, undignified and a sign of great incivility.含羞草研究社� He said he hoped the culprits would be found 含羞草研究社渁nd punished according to our laws.含羞草研究社�
Italian news agency ANSA noted that the incident marked the fourth time this year that such graffiti was reported at the Colosseum. It said whoever was responsible for the latest episode risked $15,000 in fines and up to five years in prison.
Tourism Minister Daniela Santanche said she hoped the tourist would be sanctioned 含羞草研究社渟o that he understands the gravity of the gesture.含羞草研究社� Calling for respect for Italy含羞草研究社檚 culture and history, she vowed: 含羞草研究社淲e cannot allow those who visit our nation to feel free to behave in this way.含羞草研究社�
In 2014, 20,000 euros ($25,000) and received a four-year suspended jail sentence for engraving a big letter 含羞草研究社楰含羞草研究社� on a wall of the Colosseum.
The following year, two American tourists were also cited for aggravated damage after they carved their names in the monument.
Italian tourism lobby Federturismo, backed by statistics bureau ISTAT, has said 2023 is shaping up as a record for visitors to Italy, surpassing pre-pandemic levels that hit a high in 2019.
Outside the Colosseum on Tuesday, visitors called for such monuments to be protected and preserved.
含羞草研究社淭here is a rich history here. It helps us learn from the past,含羞草研究社� Diego Cruz, an American student, said.
G眉ldamla Ozsema, a computer engineer visiting from Turkey, said his country also had difficulty protecting its monuments from disrespectful tourists.
含羞草研究社淚 really get angry with them, with this behavior,含羞草研究社� Ozsema said.
The Associated Press
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