Tourist faces $24,550 fine for carving his and girlfriend’s name into Colosseum

A tourist filmed carving his and his girlfriend’s name into the walls of the Roman Colosseum faces a huge fine as Italian authorities vow to find the man.

A tourist sparked outrage Friday after he carved his name and that of his apparent girlfriend into the walls of the Roman Colosseum using a set of keys.

The video shows the tourist, who was wearing a periwinkle shirt and shorts, etching what appears to be “Ivan + Hayley 23” into the nearly 2,000-year-old building.

“Are you serious, man?” questioned the person behind the camera while the graffiti artist, turns around with a mischievous grin while the woman next to him does nothing.

“That is f***ed up, man. Stupid a**hole,” continues the videographer as he walks away into a group of milling tourists.

The video was also posted to Reddit where several users started calling for the man’s arrest.

“They got his face, so hopefully he’s arrested and charged,” said one user.

The videographer responded by saying that he showed Colosseum staffers the video, but they “didn’t seem too bothered.”

“People like this should have their passports revoked,” challenged a second user.

“Tell me you are trash without telling me you are trash,” slammed a third person.

A man is facing a $24,550 fine for engraving names into the walls of the Roman Colosseum using a set of keys. Picture: YouTube

The tourist grinned when he was confronted by an onlooker, who asked him: “Are you serious?” Picture: YouTube

Other users went after the passive girlfriend and claimed that she should have stopped her beau.

“The fact she stood there the whole time and went along with it means she’s just as much of the problem as he is. F*** ‘em both,” slammed the original poster.

“She could be scared to speak up. I’m sure the dude is an ass,” said a second commenter.

According to the Italian ANSA news agency, local police are investigating and the man faces a fine of at least 15,000 euros ($24,550) as well as possible jail time as the Colosseum has been designated a World Heritage site.

Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said the graffiti was “very serious, unworthy and a sign of great incivility”.

“I hope that whoever did this will be identified and sanctioned according to our laws,” he added.

Italian authorities have vowed to find the man, decrying the “very serious, unworthy” graffiti. Picture: YouTube

This is, however not the first time someone had the “when in Rome” attitude and attempted to leave their mark on the historic amphitheater.

In 2015, two American tourists were given a permanent souvenir of a criminal record after they were picked up by Italian police officers after carving their initials into the building and then taking a selfie with the evidence.

Both tourists were charged with “aggravated damage to a building of historical and artistic interest,” according to the Italian newspaper La Stampa, and slapped with a $21,808 fine.

- With NY Post