The Italian tour guide who filmed an unidentified girl writing the letter “N” on the wall of the Colosseum says The arts journal that he was shocked by the incident and the reaction of the girl’s family. David Battaglino, an experienced guide in Rome, made the video showing the act of vandalism, which was published by the Italian press agency Ansa.
Battaglino said he was showing a group around the ancient Roman monument when he saw the incident. He says The arts journal“After a few seconds, the band clapped for the girl and I asked her in English, ‘Do you want a clap?’ The young girl at first thought the applause was admiration, but soon realized we were being sarcastic and joined her family who were a few feet away, watching in amusement.
He adds: “At that time, I took photos of the whole family, because I also wanted to have proof of the girl’s boyfriend, who, my group told me, had written her name (Luca ) just before the girl. , which you can see on the video.
Battaglino said he then approached the girl and her parents, asking “Do you know that what your daughter has just done is illegal and punishable by a fine of up to €15,000 and up to five years in prison?
He returned to his tour group, who had watched the entire scene and heard the encounter through his microphone. “We were more shocked by the reaction of the family than by the stupidity of the [girl]. I explained to my group that I was going to continue my tour, but that we would wait and follow the family so that I could report them to one of the Colosseum security guards.
Battaglino says he followed the family in question with his group. “When I saw a member of security, I quickly approached him, showed him the video and showed him the family.”
At that time, the security guard approached the family and asked for their identity papers. “At the beginning, the parents refused, justifying their [daughter’s actions] saying “she’s just a little girl”. I told the father that the ‘little girl’ was his responsibility. I then left them with the security guard and thanked my group for their patience and continued my tour. As far as I know, they were later picked up by the police who took them to the station to identify them and take legal action. Italy’s culture ministry did not respond to a request for comment on the incident.
Meanwhile, according to the ANSA news agency, the Rome prosecutor is set to charge the UK-based tourist, named Ivan Dimitrov, with who was filmed scratching his name on a Colosseum wall last month.
In a statement released last month, Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said: “I hope justice will take its course by rigorously applying the law. If it is a lawsuit, the Ministry of Culture will be a civil party.
