The latest German teenager arrested for vandalizing the Italian Colosseum – DW – 07/17/2023

A 17-year-old German tourist was caught defacing the Colosseum Rome On Saturday, the third act of vandalism against World Heritage site in recent weeks.

The teacher accompanied the student at the time of the accident, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.

The boy is stopped by the Italian local police, the carabinieri, who are called in by the overseeing staff at the Colosseum.

Ansa said that the girl was “subject to administrative penalties,” without specifying the type of punishment.

The Italian news agency reported that a scratch carved into the wall on the ground floor of the memorial damaged part of the brickwork.

Numerous acts of vandalism in the Colosseum

This is the third time in about a month that the Colosseum has been defaced by tourists.

On Friday, a Swiss teen was photographed carving the initial of her first name on the memorial’s wall. She has since been identified by police and faces several days in jail and a fine of up to €15,000 (about $16,850).

Late last month, a British tourist from Bristol sparked outrage after he was caught scribbling his and his girlfriend’s names on ancient walls. He apologized in a letter, claiming that he was unaware of the monument’s age from the 1st century AD.

The nearly 2,000-year-old amphitheater is among the most popular tourist attractions in Italy. It is visited by millions of tourists annually.