The tourist who caused outrage in Italy after carving his name on the wall of the Colosseum has been identified as a British fitness trainer.
The man has been identified as Ivan Dimitrov, a 27-year-old fitness trainer and delivery driver, originally from Bulgaria and living in Bristol. Walkie talkie.
He was filmed by a viewer carving his and his girlfriend’s names into the wall of the 2,000-year-old monument last Friday. Wearing a blue floral print shirt, he used the key to write “Ivan + Hayley 23” in public. His girlfriend was identified as Hayley Bracey, 33, according to walkie talkie.
He turned and grinned when an angry bystander asked, “Are you serious?”
The video titled “A tourist ***** engraved in the Colosseum in Rome” was uploaded to YouTube on Friday by the person who shot the scene. It went viral on social media, garnering international headlines as people flatly condemned him.
Police have not named a suspect, but the Carabinieri, a military police officer for the Italian armed forces, said the man had been identified and that they were “a couple residing in the UK”.
In an official statement, they said they had identified them “through traditional investigations and photo comparisons, who allegedly carved their and his girlfriend’s names on the walls of the property.” The Colosseum”.
The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheater, is a Unesco World Heritage site
(Archive PA)
The man could face fines of up to 15,000 euros (£12,850) and prison sentences of up to five years if convicted for desecrating a historic site under Italian law.
Rome’s Colosseum is a Unesco world heritage site where gladiators battle each other and also battle wild animals including lions, leopards, gaurs and ostriches. Its construction began during the reign of emperor Vespasian in the first century AD.
Italian police will send a letter to the suspect’s residence in the UK to inform him that he is under investigation, according to Il Messaggero. However, Ms. Bracey was not investigated.
Tourists take pictures of the ancient Colosseum in Rome
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Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano thanked police for identifying the alleged suspect of the “uncivilized and absurd act that took place at the Colosseum”.
“It is an insult to people around the world who appreciate the value of archeology, monuments and history,” he said. “Now I hope justice will make its way by applying the law rigorously.”
The minister said that the government is considering a law that would impose severe punishment on those found guilty of defacing or damaging the cultural and historical heritage of the country.
“Those who cause damage will pay the price,” he said.
This is not the first time tourists have been investigated and punished for defiling historical sites.
In 2014, a Russian tourist was fined €20,000 (£17,000) for carving the letter “K” on a wall and given a four-year suspended prison sentence.
The following year, two American tourists were also severely fined after they carved their names on the monument.
Italian tourism lobbyist Federturismo, supported by the ISTAT statistics bureau, says 2023 is shaping up to be a record for visitors to Italy, surpassing pre-pandemic levels that hit 2019 highs .
