World

Tour Guide Arrested After Defacing Iconic Landmark

GIZA BREAK

The incident was caught on camera.

A picture taken on July 14, 2018 shows a view of pyramids in the Saqqara necropolis, about 35 kms south of the Egyptian capital Cairo, with the King Unas Pyramid (foreground) and the step pyramid of Zoser or Djoser (background). - Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities announced on July 14 the excavation of a mummification workshop discovered along with a communal burial place consisting of several burial chambers. The excavation is carried out by a Egyptian-German mission at the Saqqara necropolis complex south of the King Unas Pyramid. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP) (Photo by KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)
KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images

A tour guide has been arrested after using chalk to mark a pyramid in Egypt. Footage of the incident was posted on social media on Sunday from the Saqqara area near Cairo, with the guide involved reported to have been leading a Russian-language tour group. “Today at Saqqara, near the Pyramid of Unas, I came across a man—a tour guide for Russian tourists—drawing on the pyramid with chalk,” the video’s caption said. “When I politely told him that what he was doing was wrong, he asked me, ‘Are you serious?’ Honestly, I didn’t know how to respond.” An investigation was launched by the Egyptian Ministry of Interior following the incident, which led to his arrest and suspension from work, The Daily Mail reports. The newspaper added that he confessed and could face a year in prison or a fine of around $10,427. He reportedly claimed it was his first day back after a four-year hiatus and had become overexcited, leading to his “unforgivable mistake.” The Saqqara Antiquities Department has since removed the graffiti, while the Egyptian General Tourist Guides Syndicate says its operators work hard to ensure no damage is done during tours.

Read it at The Daily Mail