a tourist who was caught on video defacing the wall of the Colosseum in Rome last month by carving a love note into it, claims in an apology letter that he did not know the nearly 2,000-year-old amphitheater was ancient.
The man, identified by his lawyer as 27-year-old Ivan Danailov Dimitrov, used a key to carve “Ivan+Hayley 23” into a brick wall of the structure on June 23 in a move that sparked outrage on social media and of Italian civil servants.
In a letter dated July 4 and shared with NBC News by his attorney, Dimitrov wrote: “I admit with the utmost shame that it was only after the unfortunate event that I learned of the age of the monument.”
The letter was addressed to the mayor of Rome, the City Council and the city magistrates.
Dimitrov said that he is “aware of the seriousness of the act committed” and extended “my most sincere apologies to the Italians and the whole world for the damage caused to a property that is, in fact, the heritage of all humanity.”
Although Italian authorities have not publicly identified Dimitrov, the nation’s police, the Carabinieri, said on June 29 that they are investigating and that the suspect and his partner live in England.
“I am also aware that similar conduct in my country would have had much more serious consequences,” Dimitrov wrote. “That is why I accept all responsibility and will make sincere and concrete efforts to redeem myself and make amends for the mistake I have made.”
Dimitrov said that there is “no justification” for the “impoliteness, superficiality and lightness” of his actions. He closed the letter by saying that he “hopes” that his apology will be accepted.
His lawyer, Alexandro Maria Tirelli, told NBC News exclusively: “We already made a request for a plea bargain, the boy will surely benefit from the suspended sentence.”
Tirelli described the act of disfigurement as egregious “but not serious.” He said the letter was sent on Tuesday.
NBC News has contacted the Rome prosecutor’s office for comment. The Rome mayor’s office said Thursday that it had not received any letters.
Vandalizing the Coliseum is an act that carries fines of up to $15,000 and five years in prison, according to The Associated Press.
Italy’s culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano on June 26 tweeted a video of the incident, calling it “very serious, undignified and a sign of great discourtesy.” He added that he expected the perpetrator to be “punished in accordance with our laws.”
This is not the first time that tourists vandalize the Colosseum.
In 2014, a Russian tourist was fined around $25,000 and received a four-year suspended sentence after writing the letter “K” on the wall of the Colosseum. The ap informed. A year later, two American tourists were cited for aggravated damage after they carved their names into the Coliseum.
