Two women from the U.S. were reportedly arrested after carving their initials on a wall within Rome’s Colosseum.

Tourists Carve Initials On Colosseum

The two California women – aged 21 and 25 – allegedly used a coin to carve a J and an N, which were each about eight inches high, reported The Guardian. Fellow tourists reportedly witnessed the act and told security, as the women took selfies in front of the defaced wall.

The women have been cited for “aggravated damage to a building of historical and artistic interest.” In the past, vandalism has been punished with up to $25,000 in fines.

According to a spokesperson for the Special Superintendency for the Archaeological Heritage of Rome, many tourists don’t show the same respect for cultural landmarks such as the Colosseum as they do for relics displayed in museums.

“There’s a difference in perception. Museums are treated like churches, sacred places where there are things of great value,” the spokesperson told The Guardian. Whereas the Colosseum is an incomplete building which has already been robbed.”

“We apologize for what we did,” the women, who might have to stand before an Italian judge, reportedly said. “We regret it, but we did not imagine it was something so serious. We’ll remember for a lifetime.”