International Wrath For California Women Charged With Carving Initials Into Colosseum, Snapping Selfies

Two California women gave a millennial twist to an Old American stereotype Saturday when they allegedly snuck away from their tour group, carved their initials into Rome’s ancient Colosseum and snapped selfies next to their handiwork.

As reported by The Guardian, the act of vandalism caught the attention of Italian police, and international scorn quickly followed.

Both women, aged 21 and 25, may have to appear before a judge, according to the newspaper. A Russian tourist who was caught carving his name into the Colosseum last year was sentenced to a three-month suspended sentence and $20,000 fine, the newspaper reported.

• Jury Finds Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke Copied Marvin Gaye Hit

According to CBS San Francisco, the unidentified girls apologized to Italian journalists, saying they “did not imagine it was something so serious. We’ll remember for a lifetime.”

In less than 24 hours, The Guardian article garnered 1500 comments, most of them unforgiving.

“The ’see me, I’m shallow, don’t respect anything and I want tons of attention’ generation. Have them sit in an Italian jail for a bit. How bad was parenting in the US when they created the millennial generation,” wrote commenter Jim Jax.

• Harrison Ford Plane Crash: Preliminary NTSB Report

“I’m pretty tolerant, but this is just horrible. This sort of behaviour should result in a suspension of their passports,” wrote Ayron Atkinson. “It’s not an accidental transgression of an unfamiliar law system, it’s down right disrespectful to an entire cultural heritage. Not cool.”

Click here for The Guardian article.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Also on Patch:

• Stranded Sea Lion Crisis Expected to Get Worse
• The Death Penalty for Being Gay? A California Attorney’s Serious Plan
• Spooky! Disneyland Surveillance Video Shows “Ghost” Walking Through Closed Park
• $60 Million Malibu Compound Has Unobstructed Ocean Views
• Bad News Wine Drinkers--a Tiny Pest Could Ruin California Vino

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENTS: Technically, it was just a couple of tiny initials scratched onto a wall, one of the most famous walls in human history. What kind of penalty is appropriate?