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An armada of tankers ferrying sanctioned oil around the globe is starting to get younger, bucking a months-long

Nearly 1,000 people have been arrested across France overnight as police have claimed they are “at war” while the family of a teenager shot dead by an officer prepared for his funeral on Saturday. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced on Saturday morning that 994 people had been arrested in the fourth consecutive night of nationwide clashes while 79 were injured. In turn, police claimed in a leaked intelligence report that they are “at wore with savage hordes of vermin” intent on attacking them and destroying as much property as possible. Nahel Merzouk, 17, will on Saturday be laid to rest following an Islamic ceremony close to his home in the north-western Paris suburb of Nanterre, where he was shot in the chest as he sat at the wheel of a stationary Mercedes last Tuesday. The officer responsible - identified as Florian M., 38 - remains on remand having been charged with murder. Meanwhile, Nahel M’s mother, identified as just Mounia, told France 5 television: “I don’t blame the police, I blame one person: the one who took the life of my son.” The UK Foreign Office has warned British tourists about the dangers of travelling in France. Read More Who is Nahel? The teen shot dead by police in France Is it safe to travel to Paris right now? ‘This is war’: France burns amid angry protests after teenager shot dead by police in Paris suburb Fear of no end to riots across France after police killing of teen: ‘It’s getting worse and worse’

Rioting raged in cities around France for a fourth night despite massive police deployment, with cars and buildings set ablaze and stores looted, as family and friends prepared Saturday to bury the 17-year-old whose killing by police unleashed the unrest. The government suggested the violence was beginning to lessen thanks to tougher security measures, but damages remained widespread, from Paris to Marseille and Lyon and French territories overseas, where a 54-year-old died after being hit by a stray bullet in French Guiana. The interior ministry announced 994 arrests around France by early Saturday. France’s national soccer team — including international star Kylian Mbappe, an idol to many young people in the disadvantaged neighborhoods where the anger is rooted — pleaded for an end to the violence. “Many of us are from working-class neighborhoods, we too share this feeling of pain and sadness” over the killing of 17-year-old Nahel, the players said in a statement. “Violence resolves nothing. … There are other peaceful and constructive ways to express yourself.” They said it's time for “mourning, dialogue and reconstruction” instead. The fatal shooting of Nahel, whose last name has not been made public, stirred up long-simmering tensions between police and young people in housing projects who struggle with poverty, unemployment and racial discrimination. The subsequent rioting is the worst France has seen in years and puts new pressure on President Emmanuel Macron, who appealed to parents to keep children off the streets and blamed social media for fueling violence. Family and friends were holding a funeral gathering Saturday for Nahel in his hometown of Nanterre. Anger erupted in the Paris suburb after his death there Tuesday and quickly spread nationwide. Early Saturday, firefighters in Nanterre extinguished blazes set by protesters that left scorched remains of cars strewn across the streets. In the neighboring suburb Colombes, protesters overturned garbage bins and used them for makeshift barricades. Looters during the evening broke into a gun shop and made off with weapons in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille, police said. Officers in Marseille arrested nearly 90 people as groups of protesters lit cars on fire and broke store windows to take what was inside. Buildings and businesses were also vandalized in the eastern city of Lyon, where a third of the roughly 30 arrests made were for theft, police said. Authorities reported fires in the streets after an unauthorized protest drew more than 1,000 people earlier Friday evening. The Interior Ministry said 994 arrests were made during the night, with more than 2,500 fires. The night before, 917 people were arrested nationwide, 500 buildings targeted, 2,000 vehicles burned and dozens of stores ransacked. While the number of overnight arrests was the highest yet, there were fewer fires, cars burned and police stations attacked around France than the previous night, according to the Interior Ministry. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin claimed the violence was of “much less intensity.” Hundreds of police and firefighters have been injured, including 79 overnight, but authorities have not released injury tallies for protesters. Nanterre Mayor Patrick Jarry said France needs to “push for changes” in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Despite repeated government appeals for calm and stiffer policing, Friday saw brazen daylight violence, too. An Apple store was looted in the eastern city of Strasbourg, where police fired tear gas, and the windows of a fast-food outlet were smashed in a Paris-area shopping mall, where officers repelled people trying to break into a shuttered store, authorities said. In the face of the escalating crisis that hundreds of arrests and massive police deployments have failed to quell, Macron held off on declaring a state of emergency, an option that was used in similar circumstances in 2005. Instead, his government ratcheted up its law enforcement response, with 45,000 police deployed overnight. Some were called back from vacation. Darmanin ordered a nationwide nighttime shutdown Friday of all public buses and trams, which have been among rioters’ targets. He also said he warned social networks not to allow themselves to be used as channels for calls to violence. “They were very cooperative,” Darmanin said, adding that French authorities were providing the platforms with information in hopes of cooperation identifying people inciting violence. “We will pursue every person who uses these social networks to commit violent acts,” he said. Macron, too, zeroed in on social media platforms that have relayed dramatic images of vandalism and cars and buildings being torched. Singling out Snapchat and TikTok, he said they were being used to organize unrest and served as conduits for copycat violence. The violence comes just over a year before Paris and other French cities are due to host 10,500 Olympians and millions of visitors for the summer Olympic Games. Organizers said they are closely monitoring the situation as preparations for the Olympics continue. The police officer accused of killing Nahel was handed a preliminary charge of voluntary homicide. Preliminary charges mean investigating magistrates strongly suspect wrongdoing but need to investigate more before sending a case to trial. Nanterre prosecutor Pascal Prache said his initial investigation led him to conclude that the officer’s use of his weapon wasn’t legally justified. Nahel’s mother, identified as Mounia M., told France 5 television that she was angry at the officer but not at the police in general. “He saw a little Arab-looking kid, he wanted to take his life,” she said. “A police officer cannot take his gun and fire at our children, take our children’s lives,” she said. The family has roots in Algeria. Race was a taboo topic for decades in France, which is officially committed to a doctrine of colorblind universalism. In the wake of Nahel’s killing, French anti-racism activists renewed complaints about police behavior. Thirteen people who didn’t comply with traffic stops were fatally shot by French police last year. This year, another three people, including Nahel, died under similar circumstances. The deaths have prompted demands for more accountability in France, which also saw racial justice protests after George Floyd’s killing by police in Minnesota. This week’s protests echoed the three weeks of rioting in 2005 that followed the deaths of 15-year-old Bouna Traoré and 17-year-old Zyed Benna, who were electrocuted while hiding from police in a power substation in Clichy-sous-Bois. ___ Joly reported from Nanterre. Associated Press journalists Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Climate change keeps making wildfires and smoke worse. 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Britons travelling to France have been warned to avoid no-go areas amid violent protests over the police killing of a teenager. Residents making the trip across the Channel are being urged to check the media for updates as the situation on the ground continues to evolve. “Some local authorities may impose curfews,” the Foreign Office said in updated guidance. “Locations and timing of riots are unpredictable. You should monitor the media, avoid areas where riots are taking place.” Over 470 people were arrested overnight on Friday on the fourth night of unrest over the death of 17-year-old Nahel M, who was shot dead by an officer in Nanterre, about 11km northwest of Paris city centre. The officer has been charged with voluntary homicide and apologised to the boy’s family. France‘s Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin told declared on BFM-TV that “the Republic will win, not the rioters”. Meanwhile, Nahel M’s mother, identified as just Mounia, told France 5 television: “I don’t blame the police, I blame one person: the one who took the life of my son.” Read More Who is Nahel? The teen shot dead by police in France Is it safe to travel to Paris right now? ‘This is war’: France burns amid angry protests after teenager shot dead by police in Paris suburb Fear of no end to riots across France after police killing of teen: ‘It’s getting worse and worse’

The Foreign Office tells Britons it's "more important than ever" to get proper travel insurance.

Britons have been warned against travelling to hotspots of violence in France as riots threatened to escalate out of control. Newly-updated Foreign Office advice warns holidaymakers to “avoid areas where riots are taking place” as the situation becomes “unpredictable”. A total shutdown of public bus and tram services was ordered nationwide on Friday night after shops were looted and several city centres were ablaze from protesters setting light to cars and buildings. President Emmanuel Macron urged parents to keep teenagers at home, saying his government was considering “all options” to restore order. More than 200 police have been injured in the unrest, which was sparked by the fatal police shooting of a teenager. Some areas were facing curfews. By Friday, 875 suspects had been arrested as authorities struggled to quell the clashes. Violence flared in Marseille, Lyon, Pau, Toulouse, Strasbourg and Lille, as well as in Paris, where a 17-year-old driver of Algerian and Moroccan descent, identified only as Nahel M, was shot dead in the suburb of Nanterre. A dozen buses were gutted by a blaze at a depot in Aubervilliers, northern Paris, and a tram was set alight in Lyon. In Nanterre itself, protesters torched cars, barricaded streets and hurled projectiles at police. Shops, including an Apple store, were ransacked in Strasbourg, while several Casino supermarkets were looted. The interior ministry said 79 police posts were attacked overnight into Friday, as well as 119 public buildings, including 34 town halls and 28 schools. Concerts by French singer Mylene Farmer were cancelled at the Stade de France. In the Chatelet Les Halles shopping centre in central Paris, a Nike store was broken into, and several people were arrested after store windows were smashed in the adjacent Rue de Rivoli, police said. The energy minister said several staff of a power distribution firm were injured by stones thrown during clashes. Nanterre shopkeeper Pascal Matieus said: “It’s become completely out of control. The police have lost control.” British holidaymakers who are already in France or planning to travel there over the weekend have become increasingly worried. The Independent calculates that around 260,000 British travellers are booked on flights, ferries and trains to France on Saturday and Sunday. Newly updated official travel advice warns them of potential disruption. “Since June 27, riots have taken place across France. Many have turned violent. Shops, public buildings and parked cars have been targeted,” the government advice states. “There may be disruptions to road travel, and local transport provision may be reduced. Some local authorities may impose curfews. “Locations and timing of riots are unpredictable. You should monitor the media, avoid areas where riots are taking place, check the latest advice with operators when travelling and follow the advice of the authorities.” While most of the unrest has taken place well away from tourist areas, closing down public transport in Paris and other big cities at night will cause significant problems for many holidaymakers. Britain’s biggest budget airline, easyJet, says it will allow passengers booked to travel on Saturday or Sunday to switch to a different flight without paying the normal £49 fee. A spokesperson said: “Any customers due to fly to France this weekend who would like to change their plans can contact our customer service team for assistance with their options which include a transfer to an alternative flight and we will waive the change fee.” Almost all Eurostar trains from London to Paris at the weekend are full, representing around 20,000 travellers. A Eurostar spokesperson said: “Our services to France are currently running as scheduled and normal ticket conditions apply. “We will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates on Eurostar.com and Twitter if this changes.” As the Foreign Office is not warning against all travel, holidaymakers will not be able to claim if they decide not to continue with their trip to France, or to come home early. Nahel M was driving a car early on Tuesday morning when he was pulled over for breaking traffic rules, prosecutors said. The teenager was too young to hold a full driving licence. His death, caught on video, has ignited longstanding resentment among poor, racially mixed, urban communities about police violence and racism. Read More Travellers warned to be aware of disruptions amid France riots Mother’s tragic last words with son killed by Paris police sparking days of riots Fear of no end to riots in France after police killing of teen: ‘It’s getting worse’ Paris riots - latest: UK issues France travel warning after looting across city Is it safe to travel to Paris right now? Fear of no end to riots across France after police killing of teen: ‘It’s getting worse and worse’ Paris shooting: Where are the riots in France and why are they happening?

A potential murder investigation has been launched after a Polish woman and her seven-year-old son plunged from a ferry into the sea, prosecutors say. The pair were travelling from Sweden to Poland when the child fell into the water, Swedish authorities said. His 36-year-old mother jumped overboard in an attempt to save him, they said. The two were later winched to a helicopter and taken to a Swedish hospital but later died. A rescue operation, involving a thermal imaging camera and both Swedish and Polish rescue crews, was launched when the alarm was raised. The Swedish ferry, the Stena Spirit, had been in the Baltic Sea, midway through its journey to Gdynia in Poland from Karlskrona in Sweden when the pair fell, officials said. The country’s prosecution chiefs said on Friday they had launched a preliminary investigation in which the criminal charge was murder, but added that no suspect had been identified. “The investigation aims to try to clarify what happened,” prosecutor Stina Brindmark said. Polish police issued an appeal to passengers asking for information on how the accident happened. The mother was in the water for 59 minutes before being picked up, and her son 66 minutes, Polish website Fakt reported. It said resuscitation was started immediately but the two could not be revived. Police questioned the crew of the ferry to reconstruct events, but officers have not made contact with anyone who saw what happened, according to Fakt. Stefan Elfstrom, spokesman for Stena Line, said someone on the ferry raised the alarm. “Items have been found that belong to these people, but not the people themselves,” he said of the woman and child. “Then the alarm went off, the crew looked at the surveillance cameras and saw that two people had fallen into the water. “There is little information on whether there were relatives or people who knew the two people on the ferry. However, someone noticed that two people were missing.” Confirming the deaths, spokesman Mariusz Ciarka said: “Unfortunately, in the morning we received information from the Swedish side that we have to pass on this terrible news to the family, because both the boy and the woman are dead.” Breaking news: more follows Read More Fear of no end to riots in France after police killing of teen: ‘It’s getting worse’ Where are the French riots and why are they happening? UK issues France travel warning after looting across city - live Fear of no end to riots in France after police killing of teen: ‘It’s getting worse’ Where are the French riots and why are they happening? UK issues France travel warning after looting across city - live

France is considering "all options" to restore order after rioters torched cars and buildings and looted shops across the country, in a third night of violent anger over the police killing of a teenager during a traffic stop in a Paris suburb. President Emmanuel Macron, who has so far been unmoved by growing calls to declare a state of emergency, arrived in Paris from Brussels after leaving a European Union summit early to attend a second cabinet crisis meeting in two days. "The priority is to ensure national unity and the way to do it is to restore order," the prime minister Elisabeth Borne said during a visit to Evry-Courcouronnes outside the capital. She said that "all options" were on the table, when asked about the possibility of a state of emergency being declared. She has called the violence "intolerable and inexcusable". There were at least 875 arrests overnight, with more than 200 police were injured as 40,000 officers were deployed across dozens of cities. Follow the latest in our live blog here Shops and vehicles in the suburb of Nanterre – where 17-year-old Nahel M was shot and killed by a policeman during a traffic stop on Tuesday – with residents worried about the escalating unrest. “It’s getting worse and worse,” said Pascal Matieus, as he picked shards of broken glass from the shattered windows of his salad shop on Friday morning. “It’s become completely out of control. The police have lost control.” It is the third clean-up operation in a row for municipal workers here, with one saying he expects to be back again on Saturday morning. In the southern city of Marseille, France's second-largest, authorities banned public demonstrations for Friday and said all public transport would stop at 7pm local time. Violence had flared there on Thursday night, along with Lyon, Pau, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lille and parts of Paris. Looters targeting shops in the Les Halles district of the capital. Outside the Nike store, tourists peered through caved-in windows while one local called out for them to be careful. “It’s dead, it’s dead, there’s no more order,” he said, asking not to be named. “His friend, who had come down with him from a northern suburb, countered: “It’s fine, it’s fine, just be careful at night. It’s the police we hate, not tourists.” A number of towns around Paris, including Clamart, Compiègne and Neuilly-sur-Marne, have imposed full or partial night-time curfews, while a police intelligence report that was leaked to French media predicted “widespread urban violence over the coming nights”. The unrest extended as far as Belgium's capital, Brussels, where about a dozen people were detained during scuffles related to the shooting in France and several fires were brought under control. A lawyer for the 38-year-old officer who shot Nahel – who faces preliminary charges of voluntary homicide – said he had offered an apology to the teenager’s family. “The first words he pronounced were to say sorry and the last words he said were to say sorry to the family,” Laurent-Franck Lienard told BFMTV. “He is devastated, he doesn’t get up in the morning to kill people.” The Nanterre public prosecutor, Pascal Prache, said on Thursday that Nahel died from a single shot through his left arm and chest while driving off after being stopped by police. The officer said he had opened fire because he feared that he and his colleague or someone else could be hit by the car, according to Mr Prache. “The public prosecutor considers that the legal conditions for using the weapon have not been met,” Mr Prache said. Nahel's mother, identified as Mounia, told France 5 television that she is angry at the officer who killed her only child, but not at the police in general. "He saw a little, Arab-looking kid, he wanted to take his life," she said, adding that justice should be "very firm." "A police officer cannot take his gun and fire at our children, take our children's lives," she said. Nahel's grandmother told Algerian television Ennahar TV that her family has roots in Algeria. Algeria's foreign affairs ministry said in a statement Thursday that grief is widely shared in the North African country. Nahel's death has brought to the surface grievances about racial profiling and police violence. Last year, 13 people were fatally shot during traffic stops in France, with Nahel’s death marking the third so far this year. Figures from Reuters show the majority of victims to be Black or of Arab origin. A state of emergency would grant “extraordinary powers” in order to restore security. The last time such measures were introduced was in 2015 following the Paris attacks, when terrorists killed 130 people in a series of coordinated shootings and suicide bombings. Th last time it was used in a situation like the current unrest was in 2005. It was used then to quell weeks of rioting around France that followed the death of two teenagers fleeing police. The boys were electrocuted after hiding from police in a power substation in Clichy-sous-Bois. Read More Macron goes to Elton John gig as Paris burns in mass protests Where are the French riots and why are they happening? Who is Nahel M? The teen shot dead by police in France Fiery protests grip France for 3rd night over deadly police shooting of a teenager French suburbs are burning. How a teen's killing is focusing anger over police tactics ‘This is war’: France burns amid angry protests after teenager shot dead by police

The European Court of Justice rules that Ireland was not doing enough to protect hundreds of sites.

Vladimir Putin may take “formal control” of Wagner forces in Ukraine – and beyond – following of the failed rebellion by the merecenary group, a leading think tank has said. There are indications that the Kremlin are making moves towards that aim. Mr Putin has already, finally, admitted the group is paid via state funds and Sergei Vershinin, the Russian deputy foreign minister, is said to have flown to Syria – one of the other areas Wagner is active – to tell President Bashar al Assad that Wagner will no longer operate as an independent organisation in the country, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said. It comes after Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was told his mercenaries would no longer be fighting in Ukraine after he snubbed Russian defence ministry contracts for his fighters, according to a senior Moscow politician, Andrei Kartapolov. But the Pentagon has said Wagner is still active in Ukraine. “I would tell you is, right now, we continue to see some elements of the Wagner Group in Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine,” Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder said. Read More Ukraine holds drills in Zaporizhzhia to prepare for radiation leaks from Russian-held nuclear plant Ukraine’s push to smash Russian defences on the battlefield: ‘Small advances have colossal meaning’ Pence makes a surprise trip to Ukraine and meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Mystery surrounds fate of Russia’s ‘General Armageddon’ in wake of Wagner mutiny

France’s President Emmanuel Macron is chairing a crisis meeting of senior ministers in the wake of a third night of rioting following the police killing of a 17-year-old boy, identified as Nahel, in the Paris suburb of Nanterre. There were more than 600 arrests across the country into Friday. Police and firefighters struggled to contain protesters and extinguish numerous blazes through the night that damaged schools, police stations and town halls or other public buildings. There was also lootig reported in a number of locations, including central Paris. Authorities also re fires or skirmishes in multiple cities overnight, from Toulouse in the south to Lille in the north – although the nexus remained Nanterre and the surrounding areas. What happened during the shooting? The 17-year-old, identified as Nahel, was driving a car on Tuesday morning when he was pulled over for breaking traffic rules, prosecutors said. The teenager was too young to hold a full driving license in France. Police initially reported that one officer had shot at the teenager because he was driving his car towards him. But this version of events was quickly contradicted by a video circulating on social media. On Thursday, The Nanterre prosecutor said that witness statements, CCTV video footage, amateur video footage, and statements from police offers were being used to piece together the timeline of events from Tuesday morning. Pascal Prache confirmed that two motorcycle police noticed a Mercedes, with one young driver and two passengers travelling quickly in a bus lane at 7:55am on Tuesday. Police twice attempted to indicate to the car to pull over and park, but the driver continued driving and the two police pursued the vehicle. The Mercedes had to stop at a at a traffic light, at which point the police asked the driver to turn off engine and exit the vehicle. The police officers said they drew their weapons and aimed them at the driver to stop him from taking off in the vehicle. However, the driver did pull away at which point the police decided to shoot. A bullet hit the driver through arm and chest, and the car crashed. One of the passengers fled. Firefighters were called to the scene at 8:21am. They provided first aid to the driver which was unsuccessful. The officer who fired a single shot said he wanted to prevent the car from leaving and because he feared someone may be hit by the car, including himself or his colleague, according to Mr Prache. The police officer faces preliminary charges of voluntary homicide for shooting Nahel. Based on an initial investigation, the prosector Mr Prache said, he concluded that "the conditions for the legal use of the weapon were not met." How did the riots begin? Nahel was of North African descent. The incident has fed longstanding complaints of police violence and systemic racism inside law enforcement agencies from rights groups and within the ethnically diverse suburbs that ring major cities in France. Several people have died or sustained injuries at the hands of French police in recent years, prompting demands for more accountability. France also saw protests against racial profiling and other injustice in the wake of George Floyd’s killing by police in Minnesota. Tuesday’s killing was the third fatal shooting during traffic stops in France so far in 2023. Last year there were a record 13 such shootings, a spokesperson for the national police said. There were three such killings in 2021 and two in 2020, according to a Reuters tally, which shows the majority of victims since 2017 were Black or of Arab origin. Clashes first erupted Tuesday night in and around the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where Nahel was killed. Bins were set alight and some protesters threw fireworks at police. Officers used tear gas on the crowds. The government deployed 2,000 police to maintain order Wednesday. But violence resumed after dusk. Around 40,000 police were moblilised across France on Thursday, but How far have the riots spread? Police and firefighters struggled to contain protesters and extinguish numerous blazes through the night that damaged schools, police stations and town halls or other public buildings, according to a spokesperson for the national police. The national polic have reported fires or skirmishes in multiple cities, from Toulouse in the south to Lille in the north, though the nexus of tensions was Nanterre and other Paris suburbs. The interior minister, Gerald Darmanin, said scores of officers have been injured in the unrest but none of the injuries were life-threatening. The unrest has revived memories of riots in 2005 that convulsed France for three weeks and forced then-president Jacques Chirac to declare a state of emergency. That wave of violence erupted in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois and spread across the country following the death of two young people electrocuted in a power substation as they hid from police. Two officers were acquitted in a trial ten years later. What has been the response from the government? President Emmanuel Macron held a crisis meeting with senior ministers over the shooting on Friday morning – the second in two days. "The response of the state must be extremely firm," Mr Darmanin said. Both Mr Darmanin and the prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, have ruled out declaring a state of emergency for now. On Wednesday, Mr Macron had said the shooting was unforgivable. On Thursday he also condemned the unrest. "The last few hours have been marked by scenes of violence against police stations but also schools and town halls, and thus institutions of the Republic and these scenes are wholly unjustifiable," he said. Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report Read More Macron goes to Elton John gig as Paris burns in mass protests Who is Nahel M? The teen shot dead by police in France Fiery protests grip France for 3rd night over deadly police shooting of a teenager French suburbs are burning. How a teen's killing is focusing anger over police tactics ‘This is war’: France burns amid angry protests after teenager shot dead by police France’s highest administrative court says the soccer federation can ban headscarves in matches

The tourist who caused outrage in Italy after carving names into a wall of the Colosseum has been identified as a British fitness trainer. The man has been identified as Ivan Dimitrov, a 27-year-old fitness instructor and delivery driver who is originally from Bulgaria and lives in Bristol, according to The Telegraph. He was filmed by an onlooker etching his and his girlfriend’s name into a wall of the 2,000-year-old monument last Friday. Wearing a blue floral print shirt, he used a key to write “Ivan + Hayley 23” in full view of the public. His girlfriend was identified as 33-year-old Hayley Bracey, according to The Telegraph. He turned around and grinned as an angry bystander asked: “Are you serious, man?” The video titled “A*****e tourist carves name in Colosseum in Rome” was uploaded to YouTube on Friday by the man who filmed the scenes. It went viral across social media, garnering international headlines as people roundly condemned him. Police have not named the suspect but the Carabinieri – military police for the Italian armed forces – said the man has been identified and he and his girlfriend were “a couple who are resident in England”. In an official statement, it said they identified them “through traditional investigations and photographic comparisons the person accused of etching their name and that of his girlfriend on the walls of the Colosseum”. The man could face a fine of up to €15,000 (£12,850) and a prison sentence of up to five years if convicted for defacing the historical monument under Italian laws. Rome’s Colosseum is a Unesco world heritage site where gladiators fought with one another and also battelled wild animals including lions, leopards, bulls and ostriches. Its construction began under the reign of the emperor Vespasian in the first century AD. Italian police will send a note to the suspect’s residence in England to inform him that he is under investigation, according to Il Messaggero. Ms Bracey, however, is not being investigated. The Italian culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano thanked the police for identifying the alleged suspect of the “uncivilised and absurd act committed at the Colosseum”. “It was an act that offended those around the world who appreciate the value of archaeology, monuments and history,” he said. “Now I hope justice will take its course by rigorously applying the laws.” The minister said that the government was considering a law that would impose stringent punishment on those found guilty of defacing or damaging the country’s historical and cultural heritage sites. “Those who cause damage will pay,” he said. It is not the first time tourists were investigated and punished for defacing a historical site. In 2014, a Russian tourist was fined €20,000 (£17,000) for engraving a “K” on a wall, and given a suspended four-year jail sentence. The following year, two American tourists were also cited for aggravated damage after they carved their names in the monument. Italian tourism lobby Federturismo, backed by statistics bureau ISTAT, has said 2023 is shaping up as a record for visitors to Italy, surpassing even pre-pandemic levels that hit a high in 2019. Read More Outrage in Rome after tourist filmed carving his and girlfriend’s names into Colosseum Italy looks for man seen in viral video carving names into Rome's almost 2,000-year-old Colosseum Watch: Couple carve names into Italy’s ancient Colosseum as hunt for vandals is launched Tourist who carved name into Italy’s Colosseum is suspected British fitness trainer Italian police say the man filmed carving his name on the Colosseum is a tourist living in Britain Tourist filmed carving his and girlfriend’s names into Colosseum in Rome