Two women have been arrested after one was caught on camera carving their names into the Great Wall of China.
Footage shows a middle-aged tourist defacing the UNESCO World Heritage Site with a pair of scissors while her companion filmed.
Neither seemed the slightest bit concerned about being caught.
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“Carving away while being filmed – look at that expression,” a witness filming the scene said in disbelief.
The defacer etched: “Zhang Li and her sister Ruixia were here” into the bricks at Badaling, the wall’s most-visited section.
The video was posted online on Monday (23 Mar), as reported by Need To Know.
The Badaling Great Wall Visitor Service Centre told local media on Tuesday (24 Mar) that other visitors had reported the incident the same day.
The Yanqing branch of the Beijing Public Security Bureau confirmed the women had been arrested and fined.
Vandalism is common at Badaling. In a stretch of just a few dozen metres, more than 10 “I was here” etchings can be found.
On 2 March, a tourist carved “Cao Tong from Henan”, sparking online outrage.
In May last year, videos showing five tourists carving into the wall were broadcast on screens at the ticket checkpoint – all five were detained for five days and fined 200 CNY (£22).
A staff member told local media: “There are constant reminders – announcements play along the Great Wall and at security checks.
“Incidents are reported to management, then passed to police, who deal with those responsible.”
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