Tourist defaces ancient Herculaneum frescoes, face steep, fine
The Italian police reported a scandalous incident involving a tourist in Herculaneum. The man destroyed frescoes on the wall of an ancient house. He faces a hefty fine for this.
Herculaneum is a small town in the Campania region near Mount Vesuvius. Like the better-known Pompeii, it was buried under a thick layer of ash after the volcanic eruption in AD 79. Thanks to this, the ruins of the buildings from that time have been preserved to this day.
Tourist scribbles on the wall of an ancient villa with a marker
As you can see, even an ancient volcano could not damage the historic villa. However, a 27-year-old tourist managed to do so. The man scribbled on a section of the white-painted wall with an indelible black marker. It was his signature in the form of graffiti. The "surprise" was discovered by staff at the archaeological site, who immediately notified the police.
Police officers quickly identified the young vandal. The tourist will be charged with property damage and distortion of artistic works, and he faces a hefty fine for this.
Italy has increased the fine for acts of vandalism
In response to recurring acts of vandalism, Italian authorities have introduced stricter penalties this year for those who destroy monuments and cultural objects. A fine of up to €34,000 (approx. £29,000) can be imposed for property destruction.
– Any damage hurts our heritage, our beauty and our identity and that is why it must be punished with the utmost firmness – stated Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano in a statement.
Source: Independent
