The Italian Carabiniere confirmed that a 32-year-old Irish tourist was caught by security at the Roman Colosseum after he carved his initials into a pillar earlier this week, Wanted in Rome reported.
The tourist is charged with aggravated damage to assets of historical and cultural importance, according to the report.
An Irish tourist was caught after he carved his initials into a column in the amphitheater. (iStock)
The incident happened just a few days after another tourist, a 40-year-old Polish man, crashed a drone inside the Colosseum after he was told it was a no-fly zone, according to the report.
The Colosseum is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater, the structure dates back to A.D. 80 and held more than 50,000 spectators. Despite the size of the crowd, the building could clear quickly thanks to its 80 entrance arches.
Other monuments in the historic Roman center World Heritage site include the Forums, the mausoleums of Augustus and Hadrian, the Pantheon, Trajan’s Column and the Column of Marcus Aurelius.
About 7.6 million tourists visited Rome last year, according to data website Statista. However, the number of visitors is down drastically this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has left Americans unable to vacation in Europe.
