Internet Freaks Over Teen's Egypt Graffiti

Parents apologize for Luxor tagging
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted May 27, 2013 11:22 AM CDT
China Teen's Egypt Graffiti Infuriates Internet
Foreign tourists visit a temple in the ancient southern city of Luxor, Egypt.   (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser, File)

A 15-year-old Chinese boy's scrawled note on an ancient Egyptian sculpture has sparked international ire. Tens of thousands of Chinese micro-bloggers re-posted an image of the graffiti in the Luxor Temple, which read, "Ding Jinhao was here," CNN reports. "I'm so embarrassed that I want to hide myself," wrote the Chinese tourist who took the photo of the graffiti during a May 6 visit; he posted the image online on Friday. Soon, Internet users had figured out Ding's location in Nanjing; they posted his birthdate and school online, the BBC reports, and his school's website was hacked.

Now, his parents have apologized "to the Egyptian people and to people who have paid attention to this case across China," China Daily reports. The teen's mother says he tagged the 3,500-year-old temple (in the BBC's words) "when he was younger," and the parents added that their son has learned his lesson. His father called on people to stop hounding the boy: "This is too much pressure for him to take." Just days ago, a top Chinese official called for better behavior among Chinese tourists, the BBC notes. (More China stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X