Another Silly Tourist Faces Stiff Fine for Defacing Colosseum

The list of visitors to the Roman Colosseum both bold and foolish enough to attempt to carve their name into the centuries-old walls just got longer.

Now, a tourist from Ecuador is facing a potentially hefty fine after being caught red-handed vandalizing the ancient arena.

The Associated Press reported the unidentified man has been cited by Italian authorities after a tour guide found him inscribing the names of his son and wife along with the year 2017 on a wall inside of the Colosseum.

According to the AP, tourists found guilty of vandalizing the Colosseum in the recent past have received fines as steep as 20,000 euros or a little more than $21,000.

Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi took to Twitter Tuesday to denounce the recent trend and discourage future visitors from committing similar acts of vandalism.

"Rome deserves respect. Who has hurt the Colosseum has hurt all Romans and everyone who loves the city," Raggi tweeted.

Roma merita rispetto. Chi ha ferito il Colosseo ha ferito tutti i romani e tutti coloro che amano la città.

— Virginia Raggi (@virginiaraggi) April 11, 2017

It will now be up to a judge to determine the man's punishment.

READ MORE: Tourists Charged with Obscenity After Skinny Dipping in Roman Fountain

In 2014, a Russian tourist was arrested and fined 20,000 euros (nearly $25,000 at the time) for attempting to carve his initials into the historic landmark. A year later two California women were busted after taking selfies of initials they carved into a wall of the Colosseum.

Earlier this year, a pair of Brazilian tourists sustained serious injuries when they fell almost 14 feet from an entry gate while trespassing at the Colosseum.

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