French tourist arrested for carving name into Colosseum using ancient coin
Images: AFP
A 45-year-old woman has reportedly been arrested in Rome, after vandalising the Colosseum by carving her name into the ancient complex.
According to local media, the French tourist carved "Sabrina 2017" into the wall using an ancient coin, and now faces charges for aggravated damage to a building which has "historical and artistic interest".
The coin which was used to inflict the damage was confiscated by police at the time of the arrest.
Reports say the woman was travelling with her young daughter and two nephews when she damaged the arch, which is located near the visitor's entrance.
In January this year, two Brazilian tourists aged 30 and 32, were taken to hospital after falling four metres while attempting to scale the landmark's walls, with one of the men was treated for a fractured hip.
On the same day, someone graffitied the name "Balto" and the word "morte" – meaning “death” – onto the almost-2000-year-old-walls using black spray paint.
A special superintendent for the Colosseum said they may install a chain fence which would delineate a tourist no-go area.
More video surveillance and motion detectors would also be installed so security and police could enforce the exclusion zone.
