A video appears to show a tourist vandalizing the Colosseum in Rome by carving his name into a brick of the ancient edifice with car keys. What would drive such moronic activity?
Moron Caught Vandalizing Colosseum In Rome
A video has gone viral of “Ivan” carving “Ivan + Hayley” into the wall of the ancient edifice:
I don’t know how helpful it is to focus on citizenship, though I am hard-pressed to identify his nationality based on his face. Maybe some of our anthropologists can identify it, but while my motives are selfish (please, please, please, do not be an American and make us all look bad…), it ultimately does not matter.
In this new world without privacy, the fact that this video is going viral gives me hope that he will be identified…and then held accountable for his act of vandalism.
While chopping off his hand may be a bit too harsh, charging him a nominal labor fee to sand down the brick and making him persona non grata in Italy strikes me as appropriate.
And if he was Italian…maybe some hard labor in a brickyard?
I just do not understand what would drive an imbecile to carve on a piece of ancient history. It’s like in Giza, Egypt where I saw some idiot trying to take a piece of the pyramid with him.
This is why we can’t have nice things.
I would certainly hate for the Colosseum to be off-limits to foot traffic, but that may be necessary if people cannot exercise just a small modicum of restraint.
CONCLUSION
This is about far more than Rome’s Colosseum. This is about respect. Respect the property of other people and property that is collectively meant for the enjoyment of everyone. Think before you act. Now Ivan needs to be held accountable.
Ah, white men…. so many redeeming qualities.
Yeah, those damn evil white men who glued their hands to a monet over “climate change”. Get’em tiger.
I love you ignorant chits.
if he was black/brown someone would have been killed or raped.
If he was a Trump supporter a bunch of innocent children would have gotten their faces blown off
And just like that……
Remind me again how you would be fine with your “side” sitting in “jail” if they could be proven to have done something wrong……
Haha you’re so predictable.
Stats show who are the most violent people in the US and it’s not “Trump Supporters”
Stats show you are less safe at a store if there are gun toting right wingers around. Stats show that 100% of cop killing insurectionists are Trump supporters
He is hispanic. His name is Ivan Camejo.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12246717/Tourist-carved-Ivan-Hayley-Colosseum-wall-revealed-Bristol-fitness-instructor.html
It is not Ivan Camejo.
@Lance
Sounds like a serve case of white envy.
His name was probably Lacey originally.
But but but but……. TRUMP…… waaaaaaaaaaaaaah
I love watching snowflakes melt!
Nobody is melting over Trump, unless by melting you mean getting shot to death at malls and walmarts by his crazed supporters… then yes, many people are melting
Actually, sweetie. The stats show that you’re safer.
k thx bye
Only in America would “Ivan” be considered white.
With a nose like his.
Not white, clearly a Semite/black-headed.
Frikkin idiot! I hope the Carabinieri and the Polizia nail his a**
https://www.theknot.com/us/haley-kertz-and-ivan-camejo-oct-2022
He’s definitely not white. He is light brown and hairy, looks middle eastern, with the name Ivan, could be ethnic Russian. Haley appears white, American or British, Australian. Could be in school, using Daddy’s money for a vacation.
Whether this was meant to be a deceptive prank or not, once one moron does something, it too often inspires other morons to do the same thing.
There’s a long history of graffiti in the colloseum and other famous monuments. That should be included when discussing this behaviour.
Why should it be included? The Colosseum itself has a long history of murder, and was basically an industrial torture chamber, to amuse the local population. That doesn’t mean every current person quilty of murder in Rome should be afforded leniency, because of it’s long history of people killed there. Criminal acts committed by others, has no relation to the criminal and childish act of Ivan, also the criminal act of Hayley, for standing beside Ivan as he vandalises the Colosseum. Hayley made no attempt to stop him, and seems equally quilty as Ivan. When found they should be tride separately with no contact between them, to minimize their ability to sync their testimony.
Unfortunately this is not new behavior. I have a friend with a professional degree who visited the Colosseum in the early 80s who took a brick. He still has it, and it sat in his office as a sort of showpiece. If everyone who visited took a brick, it would cease to exist.
When in Paris visiting the Catacombs, they would check everyone’s bag at the end because people would steal skulls!
Before you know it, it will become a Wall of Gum like happening in places now.
With hoards of smokers just outside the entrance that you have to walk through.
I’m far more triggered by the fact he is wearing a backpack. Let’s be clear, grown men sporting backpacks is just a huge no. Carry or pull your bag. You otherwise look like a grown man who is still attending grade school with a bag of carrot sticks tucked in the pocket from Mommy.
Cool story. I use a backpack as my everyday carry items (Osprey Nebula) and then a travelpro for my clothes. This seems like more silly profiling with no basis in reality. I don’t really know any Engineers that use a hand carry bag.
Leave work at work, when not at work, take the time to enjoy life. When you go back to work, the work will be there, no need to haul items back and forth. The only adults I see with backpacks are on hiking trips, and children needing books to do homework.
ha – I actually agree completely with this. Outside of grade school or maybe University, men should not wear backpacks. When I am on the plane, or at the airport or a hotel and see someone wearing a backpack for travel, it seems very juvenile and lacking in style and sophistication. “Nice” backpack or not, it is not the right way to carry your items outside of school. Mind you, I’ve always been a fan of sacrificing practicality for style.
Who are you guys trying so hard to impress at the airport? I mean I guess i get judging the people in leggings and belly shirts, but if you don’t look like you are a homeless person, I really don’t pay much attention to you.
I take my backpack everywhere. I walk in to meetings wearing a suit carrying it. I guess I’m just not tough enough.
Projecting through fashion creates a first impression. The suit is good. The backpack ruins it all. Period. Maybe if you’re a software engineer and don’t care, ok, but otherwise, project strength, confidence, and be well tailored. That starts with carrying your bag (or if more stylishly casual in Rick Owens etc a shoulder bag would be appropriate).
Bottom line….Elementary school was excused for recess years ago.
Actually, one of the reasons I love this blog is that Matthew seems to be the ONLY miles/travel blogger who takes time to look polished for his trips. The rest seem to think it’s fun to wear chucks and shorts in SQ Suites and prance around taking photos. Pajamas are acceptable though when offered, so long as you don’t also pair them with your backpack and Mom’s lunch bag.
My meetings are with local governments in rural parts of the Southeast and Mountain West. Wearing anything other than jeans and a plaid shirt makes me a pretty high falutin’ out of towner. I think it may be generational; my company only issues new hires with backpacks these days. Better for the shoulders.
Meanwhile grown men everywhere spend all day daintily fingering their iPhones. Disturbingly unmasculine, backpack or not.
Carving says Ivan + Hayley. I suppose that’s the darling standing next to him? Ugh
Full names can be found on the knot. From Missouri
What is the knot? So they are Americans?
The Knot is a wedding website. Pictures of them and their hometown.
The names on The Knot are Ivan and Haley. The names carved are Ivan and HAYLEY — not the same couple!
If it’s the one I saw I don’t think that’s them… the couple on the knot look a little heftier
The photo of their registration at Crate and Barrel looks pretty damning to me (in my opinion).
Are you referring to this?
https://www.theknot.com/us/haley-kertz-and-ivan-camejo-oct-2022/photos
Guy looks different to me.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12246717/Tourist-carved-Ivan-Hayley-Colosseum-wall-revealed-Bristol-fitness-instructor.html
Not from Missouri
Unfortunately, such carvings of initials are not relegated to the Colosseum alone. One of the most shocking visuals I observed at the Dachau concentration camp outside Munich in 2016 was all the graffiti on the exterior of the Dachau crematorium
People lost their lives there and some visitors reflect on that loss by carving their initials into the bricks of the crematorium. I have pictures of the graffiti.
I was just in Chicago last week. All along the Magnificent Mile, there are these beautifully designed garden setups, like aluminum patio sets and aluminum (fake) bicycles adorned with flora and fauna. They’re gorgeous, surrounded by 3′ tall gates, and are obviously for display only. The area receives tourists from all over the world, and sadly I saw tourists from a country I won’t say, but definitely not American, jump over the short gate and sit on one of the patio chairs to pose for a photo. He thus sat on top of, and crushed, the moss and flowers that adorned the chair. I was in utter shock! I will say that as an American who lived abroad for many years, I can attest to American tourists being idiotic at many times, but not all of them are, it’s really, usually only the ones who come from new money or who are too young to understand what the hell they’re doing. It’s a shame!
Matthew, how about this one:
https://www.crateandbarrel.com/gift-registry/haley-kertz-and-ivan-camejo/r6441908
Yep, looks like them.
Different spelling of Hayley
Good catch. It’s not the same couple – the guys features are also clearly different notwithstanding the weight so pls don’t spread this link everyone else innocent people will get shot in Missouri.
The guy with the video should have taken it the colosseum security so action could have been taken right away. If the government really wants to take action, they can easily identify this couple with immigration records.
One of these things is much less likely than the other:
Either:
1) The Coliseum scratcher has an identical twin running around who is also an American, also named Ivan, and also has a wife named “Haley”; or
2) Haley has more than one way that she spells her name in informal situations among family members and like many people does not call his spouse by her precise and proper given name.
I suppose that anything is possible, but I know which I think is the more likely explanation.
Billy, dude that carves up an antiquity cannot be trusted to correctly spell his wife’s name. As this post says, he is a moron 😉
Different person. There is a Knot pictorial from the wedding, the person who did it does not have a mole at the end of his eyebrow and different hairline compared to the Crate and Barrel guy.
I’m no expert but the Crate & Barrel pictures seem like a dead ringer to me. If they are in Italy at the moment, I would consider that one resolved reasonable doubt too many. I guess the Italian police will know if those people entered Italy/EU and if so when they leave Italy/EU they should expect a tap on the shoulder. I guess we’ll soon find out.
@ Mak. You are correct. I don’t wish to dox anyone. This is a UNESCO site. I am for forwarding the information and allowing an investigation as they see fit. This is not our call in the end.
Pretty obvious the two were not the same yet you insisted they were. I am glad they found the real culprits. The mole by itself would have told you they were not the same. But then people refuse to see the obvious.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12246717/Tourist-carved-Ivan-Hayley-Colosseum-wall-revealed-Bristol-fitness-instructor.html
Instead of 15 minutes of fame this guy wants “forever” fame. In this case “infamy” would be a better term for what he is seeking.
This happened years ago and were charged.
https://abc7chicago.com/colosseum-vandalism-defaced-california-rome/550468/
Good data point.
Its not that big of a deal really.
Its stone on a massive stone structure. I doubt hes the first and last person to carve something into that building.
Eventually it will wear away anyway.
There’s more important things to worry about.
Like drag queens in NYC chanting “we’re coming for you children”.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/video-of-drag-marchers-chanting-were-coming-for-your-children-goes-viral/ar-AA1d0Pqe
Inability to detect sarcasm is an early sign of dementia. You should probably see a doctor
“It was just a joke guys, really” uh huh.
half of pedophiles are gay men. Most jokes are based on an unspoken truth.
“half of pedophiles are gay men”
Not true.
But 100% of guys named are koggerj are homophobic @ssholes.
As one Twitter user said:
“They are mocking the f****** weirdos who think they are coming for their children. Evil predators who are coming for your children don’t chant about it in public.”
Sure, and when the Klan says “we hate Jews and black people” they’re really just engaging in wordplay.
I’m pro-gay but the movement is being hijacked by real creeps as of late. Disgusting antics like this only cause setbacks to fairness and equality for sane, consenting adults.
“And if he was Italian…maybe some hard labor in a brickyard?” Italians are proud of the history, culture and legacy. They do not cancel or vandalize their own culture. Italians would not do such moronic thing.
You should read Mark Twain’s “Innocents Abroad”. Written in the late 1800s he went on rant about his fellow travelers chipping off pieces of various monuments for souvenirs… so nothing new under the sun.
Interesting. I will read it.
That was common practice in the late 1800 and early 1900. You would be amazed of all the cravings at the Temple of Poseidon just outside of Athens including Lord Bryon.
Fantastic book. Even though he was a bit of an idiot in his personal life.
You’re the perfect example of cancel culture. A moron scratches his name into a wall and you’re ready to lock him up and throw away the key. This attitude does absolutely nothing to change behaviors.
I would think it would serve as a deterrent.
(and if you read what I wrote, I said that his punishment should be that he is not allowed ever back into Italy, which is far different than locking him up and throwing away the key…)
In any case, he was an idiot for doing what he did and should be treated as such.
I wouldn’t throw the key away. Keep it handy so we can toss some rabid squirrels into his cell on occasion.
I don’t really care where they are from or their ethnicity, this person is just stupid.
Hope facial recognition gets them, then few public lashes, 10 year travel ban as a deterrent and a donation to a charity. Those idiots regardless of their genetic origin screw travel up for everyone. Next time we can get close to places like this is from space or through pictures.
If he likes carving that much for everyone to see, why not carving the names on his own forehead?
Something of an update for this story:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/27/outcry-after-tourist-carves-name-on-wall-at-the-colosseum-in-rome
“If caught and convicted, the suspect faces hefty repercussions: a fine of at least €15,000 and a prison term of up to five years.”
Break his friggin’ thumbs and knock out his front teeth. It’s the last you’ll see ofhim.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10221585070513308&set=a.1562138850603
looks like the guy to me, here on the Facebook of the woman who everyone is tying to the guy they suspect.
It isn’t him!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12246717/Tourist-carved-Ivan-Hayley-Colosseum-wall-revealed-Bristol-fitness-instructor.html
If it is him – wow he is an atty – i wouldn’t want him to represent me
It’s not him. He’s never been to Rome
[DELETED BY LALF]
No Doxxing!
https://www.abdpost.com/tourist-who-carved-into-colosseum-wall-is-bristol-fitness-instructor/216311/
Maybe you can not dox people…very dangerous to spread misinformation.
Apparently a social media witch hunt led to a couple and their family and friends in the US to be harassed like crazy over this incident. And that is even as the American I&H couple have never been to Rome.
Kinda of stupid that people cannot do a little research. The American couple also had a Knot wedding pictorial where it was obvious that the two were not the same. One has a mole at the end of the left eyebrow, one does not. One has a receding hairline but one does not. It amazes me how stupid people tried and convicted the American couple without even doing the basic research including @Maryland and @Mak.
This post and the witch hunt that transpired soon after should serve as a lesson in how the Internet can turn into a seriously dangerous weapon. If that poor couple in Kansas City ended up physically harassed, or their home defaced as many called for, this could have ended very very bad. You think people would have learned from things like PizzaGate. Apparently stupidity though has no limits.
As well to all of those across the world who used this to bash Americans….May be time take a look in the mirror instead.