Anger and indignation in Italy Tourist carves his initials into ancient Pompeii house
A tourist from Great Britain scratches the names of his family into an ancient wall of the historical site in Pompeii. The vandal was caught by the police shortly afterwards - now he is facing a hefty fine.
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- A holidaymaker from Great Britain has immortalized himself by scratching his initials on the house of the Vestal Virgins in Pompeii.
- The man was tracked down by the police.
- He now faces a heavy fine or even a prison sentence.
Huge outrage in Italy: a British tourist has carved his initials, those of his two daughters and a date on the wall of a former home of the priestesses of the goddess Vesta in Pompeii. The so-called Vestal House is said to have been one of the largest residential buildings in the city. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, with its unique mosaics, is one of the highlights of any tour of Pompeii.
As reported by the Italian news agency "Ansa", the 37-year-old tampered with a wall using a blunt object. The man left a total of five engravings, including the initials "JW LMW MW" and the date "07/08/24". Photos of the damage show the engravings scratched into the plaster next to the entrance door.
Now it will be expensive for the vandal
Employees of the archaeological site discovered the engravings and immediately informed the police. The Carabinieri were able to track down the vandal a short time later and confront him. "I wanted to leave a mark," the vacationer told the police.
Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano expressed his displeasure at the vandalism and condemned the damage to the historical site as a "barbaric and idiotic attack on our artistic and cultural heritage".
The tourist apologized for his behaviour. However, this will not protect him from a substantial fine. "An uncivilized act. Thanks to the new law, which is supported by Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, the perpetrator will have to pay for the restoration of the wall," says the director of the ancient site, Gabriel Zuchtriegel. The Briton faces a five-figure fine and a prison sentence of up to five years.