Outrage in Rome as English-speaking tourist filmed carving 'Ivan + Hayley' into the brickwork of Italy's ancient Colosseum

26 June 2023, 16:00 | Updated: 26 June 2023, 16:03

Fury has erupted after a video showing an English-speaking tourist carving the words 'Ivan + Hayley 23' into the walls of Rome's ancient Coliseum emerged online.

The video, shot by a fellow tourist at the iconic Italian landmark, sees the man scrawling the names into the stonework of the 1,937-year-old landmark.

Clutching a set of keys, the man cracks a smirk at the camera before returning to the wall and continuing to inscribe the names.

The incident is believed to have taken place last Friday, June 23, according to the English voice recorded as part of the video.

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Asshole tourist carves name in Colosseum in Rome 6-23-23

At the time of its construction at around 70 CE, the Colosseum is thought to have seated 50,000 spectators.

Uploaded to YouTube on June 24 by user @rytz5873, the footage was later shared on Reddit with the caption 'A*****e tourist carves name in Colosseum in Rome'.

Social media users commenting on the video called for the arrest of the culprit.

As part of the video, the English-speaking man capturing the footage can be heard saying: 'Are you serious man? That is f***ed up man. Stupid a*****e.'

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If reported to police, the individual could be fined £1750 (€2,065) and face up to one year in prison.

It's not the first time a tourist has been caught and reprimanded for defacing what's believed to be the world's largest Amphitheatre.

An Irish tourist was arrested by Carabinieri police in September 2020 for allegedly carving his initials into the Colosseum in a similar incident.

Reported to police by the Colosseum's private security firm, the 32-year-old was caught inscribing his two initials into a pillar on the landmark's first floor.

Measuring about 2" high, the letters, inscribed using a metal point, saw the anonymous individual stand accused of damaging a historical and artistic landmark.