Tourist carves love note into Rome's Colosseum
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A man was seen on video carving the name of his girlfriend into the walls of the Colosseum, drawing outrage from the Italian culture minister, who said the suspect should be identified and punished. Videos showing the man in the act have been going viral since last week, according to Italy’s ANSA news agency. The unidentified tourist engraved “Ivan+Haley 23” onto the almost 2,000-year-old structure in Rome. He could face up to five years in prison and a fine of about $16,400, ANSA reported.
Gennaro Sangiuliano, the culture minister, tweeted Monday that he considered it “a sign of great incivility.” He expressed hope that the man would be legally punished.
Rome, home to some of the world’s most popular tourist sites, has been in a battle to clamp down on obnoxious visitors. In 2018, the mayor signed legislation that targets tourists who engage in certain behavior, such as bathing in public waterworks. The law requires visitors who vandalize artifacts such as the Colosseum to restore them to their earlier condition.
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Suspects who previously raised eyebrows at the Colosseum include an Irish tourist accused of carving his initials there; two American women accused of carving the letters “J” and “N”; and two other Americans accused of breaking into the amphitheater to enjoy their morning beers.
Venice, another Italian tourist draw, has also had its fair share of ignorant tourists. Since at least 1986, the city has imposed decorum codes and fines on unruly visitors. The city penalizes feeding pigeons, littering and surfing in its canals. Last year, two Australian visitors were fined $1,500 each after riding motorized surfboards in the Grand Canal.
Mayor Luigi Brugnaro tweeted that the surfers were “imbeciles.”
Ecco due imbecilli prepotenti che si fanno beffa della Città… chiedo a tutti di aiutarci a individuarli per punirli anche se le nostre armi sono davvero spuntate… servono urgentemente più poteri ai Sindaci in tema di sicurezza pubblica!
A chi li individua offro una cena! pic.twitter.com/DV2ONO3hUs — Luigi Brugnaro (@LuigiBrugnaro) August 17, 2022
Some destinations have unfortunately become magnets for misbehavior.
On Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, immigration officials announced last week that they deported a Russian man who posted a photo on social media showing him with his pants around his ankles atop Mount Agung, a sacred site for Hindus.
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It was not the first time that tourists have violated cultural norms at sacred sites.
In 2010, a French dancer stripped on Uluru, or Ayers Rock, a massive monolith in central Australia that’s considered sacred to the local Aboriginal people. How would “French people feel if an Australian danced semi-naked on the altar of the Notre Dame?” Kon Vatskalis, who was at the time a senior local government official, told the Australian media. “I think Aboriginal people have every right to be outraged.”
In 2018, Cambodian authorities kicked seven Westerners out of their country, accusing them of “singing and dancing pornographically” near the famed Angkor Wat temple complex, which dates to the 12th century. Photos from the Cambodian police show a group of people dressed but cavorting on the floor.
Tourists have also harmed wildlife at popular spots. In the United States, national parks have urged visitors leave animals alone.
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Last month, a man from Hawaii sought to help a baby bison reunite with its herd. The unsolicited interjection left the calf rejected by its herd and compelled Yellowstone National Park officials to euthanize it.
At the Assateague Island National Seashore in Virginia and Maryland, tourists have fed wild horses, forcing park officials to relocate at least one that developed food aggression. It is illegal to “feed, touch, tease, frighten or intentionally disturb wildlife,” according to the National Park Service.
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Source: The Washington Post
