Fury is spreading across Italy after video emerged of a foreign tourist carving his girlfriend’s name into a section of wall at the historic Colosseum.
In the video the man can be seen carving what appears to be the word ‘Hayley’ into the ancient brickwork before turning towards the camera and smiling.
ROME—Italian Government is seeking to identify this tourist, who carved the name of his girlfriend, “Hayley”, into the wall of the Colosseum.
Do NOT visit a country and deface historical and/or sacred landmarks.
— Bree A Dail (@breeadail) June 26, 2023
Daily Wire Rome correspondent Bree A. Dail says the Italian government are seeking to find the tourist and that the last person to commit a similar offence was fined €20,000.
Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliar said, “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, the Colosseum, to engrave the name of his fiancée.”
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
“I hope that whoever did this will be identified and sanctioned according to our laws,” he said.
UPDATE—It seems this is “Ivan” who scratched “Ivan + Hayley 23” on the Colosseum.
Perhaps he doesn’t yet realize the last person to do this was fined €20k, and that he could also face incarceration in Italian prison for this vandalism? pic.twitter.com/M4o94RQs4v
— Bree A Dail (@breeadail) June 26, 2023
In 2020 the Italian carabinieri police were reportedly called when a 32 year old Irish man carved his initials into a pillar at the centuries old structure.
The man was subsequently charged with aggravated damage to assets of historical and cultural importance.
In recent months priceless historical treasures in Italy have fallen victim to vandalism by climate protestors.
Last May activists poured diluted charcoal into the Trevi Fountain turning the water black.
Vandals poured ink into the #Trevi fountain (in the pretext of "protest") damaging age-old #heritage.
Never forget… these are vandals!
Never forget… #protest is NOT #activism! pic.twitter.com/1DCzXDNQaY— Anuraag Saxena (@anuraag_saxena) May 22, 2023