More tourists deface Rome's Colosseum

Rome, July 18 (IANS) Two more incidents of tourists defacing the 2,000-year-old Colosseum in Rome have come to light after a similar episode was reported in June.

In the first incident, a 17-year-old girl from Switzerland was spotted on July 14 apparently carving her initials into a wall of the ancient site by a tourist guide, a spokesperson for the local military police force, the Carabinieri of the Province of Rome, told CNN on Monday.

The guide called security at the site, who then alerted the Carabinieri.

The following day a 17-year-old student from Germany was caught allegedly doing something similar, who was reported to the Carabinieri by a security guard.

Both teenagers risk a fine of up to 15,000 euros ($16,850) and up to five years in jail.

This is the same punishment potentially faced by a 27-year-old British tourist who was filmed apparently carving his name into the wall of the ancient arena last month, CNN reported.

The man, Ivan Dimitrov, later sent a letter of apology to the local prosecutor’s office, according to his lawyer.

In recent years, several reports have surfaced of the Colosseum being vandalised.

In 2020, an Irish tourist was reported to the police for allegedly carving his initials into a wall.

Last August, an American couple were caught carving their initials into the Arch of Augustus, a 2,000-year-old monument beside the Colosseum.