Does Carving Your Initials Into A Historical Landmark Make You A Bad Guy? Irish Tourist Finds Out The Hard Way.
I fucking love carving my initials into things. Desks, trees, bed frames, wall paint, etc etc. Can't get enough of letting other people know what my two initials are via angsty teenage tendencies. Nothing so freeing yet so incriminating. That being said there's a major difference between me scratching a lil "EK" on a desk in high school and "defacing" one of the wonders of the world.
Even then, you can kind of understand it, it's a total power move. How many other people can say they're apart of the Colosseum? Well, apparently zero due to such strict rules. All I'm saying is it'd be objectively cool to have your initials carved into a building that's almost as old as the modern world. True alpha shit.
(CNN) — An Irish tourist has been accused of vandalizing Rome's Colosseum after security staff spotted him allegedly carving his initials into the ancient Italian structure.
The Carabinieri police said the 32-year-old man was caught by the Colosseum's private security on Monday and immediately reported to officers.
The man's two initials, about 6 centimeters (2 inches) high, were said to have been carved with a metal point on a pillar of the first floor of the 2,000-year-old monument.
"QUICK, QUICK HE'S CARVING HIS NAME INTO THE PILLAR"
This is probably DEFCON 5 for these security guards. Their Superbowl so to speak. The moment they've been waiting for since they took the job at the Colosseum because they could be "protecting history." It makes you wonder just how many people are trying to get their shitty initials carved into this building.
Back in 2014 a Russian tourist was fined 20,000 euros for carving the letter "K" on a section of brickwork.
TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS? Cue the tumbleweed falling right out of my wallet. Knowing that there is potential for such…
clears throat
financial devastation you can't even think about doing such a thing. Maybe do a little fucking research before you go defiling history, bro.
But does being the bad guy make you a bad guy? I don't think so.
This man just wanted to quite literally etch his name in history. Nothing more, nothing less. While there is something to be said about someone that premediates such a high risk/very low reward move, you can't help but at least respect the move a little. Like yeah, this guy should probably be locked up in a looney bin for going to the colosseum for the sole purpose of etching his name into the walls - it has to be a spur of the moment thing. What's the punishment for such a crime anyway?
The unnamed man is accused of damaging a historical and artistic landmark, the Carabinieri confirmed to CNN, a crime according to Italian law. He could face a hefty penalty if convicted.
The crime is punishable with up to one year in prison or a fine of no less than 2,065 euros ($2,400).
Welp. He is most certainly the bad guy now in the eyes of - apparently - all of Italy.
Speaking of high risk; shipping this guy to jail is a tad much, no? I get not wanting people to scribble on your walls because they could crumble like a cracker at any moment. Sending the perpetrator to jail just feels… excessive. Then again, rules are rules and he should've known them. I mean, who doesn't know that rule? Regardless, maybe do a little research before he decided to leave his John Hancock all over the walls of the Colosseum.