Teenager Interrogated For Allegedly Vandalizing A UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Canadian police detained a 17-year-old male for questioning in connection with the vandalism of a UNESCO World Heritage Site shrine in Nara, Japan.

 

The claimed event occurred at the Toshodaiji Kondo shrine complex, which dates back centuries.

A law enforcement officer revealed that the structure of Toshodaiji Kondo's roof is supported by wooden pillars located on the building's southwestern side. According to the statements, the teenager etched "Julian" into a wooden pillar on the side of the monument, as a Japanese visitor saw the young man vandalizing the pillar, asked him to stop and immediately reported the incident to the temple authorities.

Shortly after, the temple notified the local police, and the adolescent was taken in the next day, as reported by the officer.

“The boy admitted his act and says it was done not with the intent of harming Japanese culture. He is now with his parents, who were with him when the incident occurred”, the policeman declared.

The official stated that the investigation was going to proceed and that the youngster would be sent to justice if he will be found to have violated the Law for Protection of Cultural Properties. He won't, nevertheless, be held in custody for the moment.

Ancient Nara's Remarkable Relics

The Sites of Ancient Nara, which are comprised of eight locations and were included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998, include Toshodaiji Kondo, which was constructed in the eighth century. The monuments give outstanding testimony to the growth of Japanese art and design and clearly reflect a vital time in the historical and political trajectory of the country.

Nara, a renowned tourist destination 45 minutes by train south of Kyoto, attracts visitors from all over the world. Visitors go to Nara not just to see the city's ancient buildings, but also to see the more than a thousand holy deer that graze free in the park.

The problem of disruptive visitors is spread all around the world, as the suspected damage follows a similar event at the Colosseum in Rome, which is almost 2,000 years old and is one of the most visited ancient sites worldwide. Last month, a person was seen on video presumably carving an inscription onto the ancient building.

 

Source: edition.cnn.com