Reuters —A tourist from the Netherlands has defaced a frescoed wall in an ancient Roman house in Herculaneum, near Naples, damaging a building that survived the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, Italian police said on Monday.
The police statement said the 27-year-old tourist was swiftly identified after staff at the archaeological site discovered tagged graffiti writing made with a black, indelible marker pen on a white section of a painted wall.
The tourist, who was not named, faces charges of damage and defacement of artistic works.
It is not the first time that historical monuments have been vandalised by tourists in Italy.
In response to repeated acts of vandalism, Italy this year introduced tougher penalties on those who damage monuments and cultural sites, imposing fines of up to €40,000 (around $43,500) for those found guilty of defacing monuments.
Persons:
Gennaro Sangiuliano, Emanuele II
Organizations:
Reuters, Police, Galleria
Locations:
Netherlands, Herculaneum, Naples, Vesuvius, Italy, England