A Tourist Was Caught on Camera Defacing the Colosseum With His Keys. He Could Face Serious Legal Consequences

Last week, a tourist was filmed etching a pair of names onto the walls of Rome’s Colosseum. He could now face a hefty fine—or even time in jail—for defacing the world wonder.  

The video, which was posted to Reddit, shows a man using his keys to scratch the words “Ivan + Hayley ‘23” on an exterior wall of the 1,900-year-old structure. Next to him is a woman—presumably Hayley—who also watches as the defacement take place. 

At one point the man looks up, sees that a stranger is filming him in flagrante delicto, and simply smiles. “Asshole,” the person holding the camera mutters as he walks away. 

It’s unlikely the defacer—Ivan?—would be smiling if he knew the history of punishments for people who have vandalized the Colosseum, even in minor ways. 

In 2014, for instance, a 42-year-old Russian tourist was caught carving the letter “K”—his initial—onto a wall of the landmark. After being arrested on site, the man was fined €20,000 and hit with a four-month suspended prison sentence. 

“You cannot write on a historic wall, it’s absolutely forbidden,” said the Colosseum’s director at the time, Rossella Rea. 

In 2020, an Irish visitor was also nabbed while scratching his initials on the amphitheater. He was arrested and charged with damaging a historical landmark—a crime punishable with up to one year in prison or a fine of at least €2,065 ($2,200). (It’s unclear whether or not the Irishman was convicted and sentenced.) 

“The Colosseum, like any monument that represents the history of all of us, must be preserved and handed over to future generations,” Colosseum spokesperson Federica Rinaldi told CNN at the time.  

“Carving one’s initials, in addition to being a crime, seems to be a gesture of those who want to appropriate the monument,” Rinaldi added. “Better take a selfie!” 

Representatives from the Colosseum did not immediately return Artnet News’s request for comment on the video of last week’s alleged incident.

More Trending Stories:  

A 17th-Century Double Portrait of Black and White Women, Said to Be of ‘Outstanding Significance’ Will Remain in the U.K. 

Art Industry News: South Korean Student Thought a Museum Wanted Him to Eat the $120,000 Duct-Taped Banana + Other Stories 

This Famed Dollhouse Is Hung With Tiny Original Artworks, Including a Miniature Duchamp. Here Are Three Things to Know About the One-of-a-Kind Treasure 

The Brooklyn Museum’s Much-Criticized ‘It’s Pablo-matic’ Show Is Actually Weirdly at War With Itself Over Hannah Gadsby’s Art History 

A Collector Clinched a Rare 17th-Century Terracotta Sculpture for a Record $2.85 Million at a French Auction. Now, the Louvre Is Snatching It 

The Venice Biennale Has Announced the Highly Anticipated Curatorial Theme of Its 2024 Art Exhibition 

A Couple Renovating Their Kitchen in Denmark Found an Ancient Stone Carved With Viking Runes