Italian police said they had identified the man who was filmed recording his name and that of his apparent girlfriend on the ancient roman coliseum last week.
Although the couple's name has not been officially released, they were identified through photographic comparisons, according to a statement from the Italian authorities.
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However, the British press is reporting that the person responsible for carving "Ivan + Haley 23" on the wall of the Coliseum is Ivan Dimitrov, a 27-year-old Bulgarian-born fitness instructor who is also known as Ivan Hawkins.
He resides in Great Britain and lives with his long-term girlfriend Hayley Bracey, 33, who runs her own sports nutrition business. However, Italian authorities have yet to publicly confirm the couple's identity.
The Minister of Culture of Italy, Gennaro Sangiuliano, expressed his indignation at the action, saying that it offends all those who appreciate the value of archaeology, monuments and history.
He hopes that justice will be strictly applied and highlighted the need to debate the strengthening of laws to punish those who damage the archaeological heritage.
(Image: Reproduction / Twitter)
One of the greatest historical landmarks of humanity
The Colosseum, which is almost 2000 years old, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO and one of the most iconic symbols of Imperial Rome.
The incident in which a man “scratches” the monument gained a lot of repercussions on social media, generating criticism from tourists and mass tourism in the city. Video of the incident was shared on social media and reported by Italian media.
This is not the first time acts of vandalism have taken place at the Colosseum. This year, there have been reports of similar graffiti on other occasions. Those responsible for the latest incident could face fines of up to €13,000 and up to five years in prison.
Italian authorities stressed the importance of respecting the country's culture and history and said they will not allow visitors to behave in this way. Past incidents have resulted in fines and suspended prison terms for those responsible.