A British tourist photographed carving notes in Rome’s Colosseum wrote a letter apologizing for desecrating the nearly 2,000-year-old amphitheater, prompting the world-famous landmark to become ancient. He claimed he didn’t know it was.
In a letter addressed to the mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri: Published in Il Messaggero on Wednesday, an Italian newspaper based in Rome. The man, identified by his lawyers as 27-year-old Ivan Danaylov Dimitrov, wrote in the letter: “I regrettably learned about the age of this monument only after that incident. I admit, with great shame,” he wrote.
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Dimitrov could face a prison sentence and a hefty fine, but said he was “aware of the seriousness of his actions” and added: “I sincerely apologize to the Italian people and the world for the damage they have done to Italian property. I will.” In fact, it is the heritage of all mankind. ”
Completed by the Roman Emperor Titus in 80 AD, the Colosseum became famous for gladiators who often fought to the death to entertain tens of thousands of spectators.
Dimitrov was originally the man seen in the video carving “Ivan + Haley 23” (his name and his girlfriend’s name) into the inner wall of the monument using a key. Share to YouTube. A video of the stunt titled “(Abusive) Tourists Mark Rome’s Colosseum” recorded by an outraged onlooker went viral on social media after being uploaded to YouTube on June 23. Widely shared and outraged.
The video alerted police to vandalism and vowed that Italian authorities would soon find and punish the man responsible.
“It is very serious, unworthy, and very serious for a tourist to defile a historic site like the Colosseum, one of the most famous places in the world, in order to engrave the name of his fiancée. We consider it disrespectful,” the country’s statement said. Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano, tweeted A video of the incident was also released on June 26.
After a five-day search, Italian police located Dimitrov and tracked him to his home in England. According to Associated Press. Vandalism of the Colosseum carries fines of up to $15,000 and five years in prison, according to the agency’s report.
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Dimitrov’s lawyer, Alexandro Maria Tirelli, told Il Messaggero that he wanted leniency.
“This boy is the epitome of a foreigner who frivolously believes that anything is allowed in Italy,” Tirelli told Il Messaggero. “Even if he did something that would be severely punished in his own country.”
Contributed by Associated Press
Eric Lagatta covers the latest and trending news for USA TODAY. Please contact elagatta@gannett.com and follow @EricLagatta on Twitter.
