Tourist Apologizes for Defacing Colosseum, Claims Ignorance of Monument's History

A tourist named Ivan Dimitrov carved his and his girlfriend's initials into the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, not realizing its age or significance, then apologized in a letter.
Dimitrov's lawyer is negotiating to avoid jail time for the damage, which carries penalties up to five years in prison and over $16,000 in fines.
Italian authorities expressed outrage over the vandalism of the ancient UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Video of Dimitrov caught in the act went viral, leading to his identification and apprehension.
Though the defaced section was from a 19th-century restoration, officials still considered it vandalism.