The craze around TikTok challenges has gotten out of hand.
It is illegal to touch the Parthenon, as it is an archaeological monument of utmost importance, strictly protected by both Greek and international law. Visitors are allowed to admire the Parthenon up close, but it is explicitly prohibited to touch it, climb on it, write on it, or take any pieces from it—even if someone asks them to do so for a TikTok challenge…
This ban is not just for reasons of respect, but also to protect the fragile materials (mainly marble) and prevent damage. Offenders could face fines or even criminal penalties, depending on the severity of the act.
The Incident
Despite this, a tourist in Greece was asked by someone if they could touch the Parthenon, and the tourist complied, even posting a video of the act on TikTok. This sparked outrage among those who saw the video.
Here are some of the comments:
u/MrTheta: “Thanks. Now we’re all collectively dumber for having watched this.”
u/justforfun75: “What an idiot. Too bad what he touched was the new marble filling and not an original stone.”
u/Awkward-Papaya7698: “I was hoping the ‘old stones’ would slap him in the face instead of the other way around.”
u/therealnickb: “It’s clear that his style is ‘be so annoying that people watch out of curiosity.’ Just don’t watch him. It’s better. Even saying ‘don’t watch him’ just makes them watch more.”
u/Toutetrien777: “I was there a few weeks ago and had an amazing time. The museum was fantastic. What a beautiful country. It’s sad that some people don’t show respect.”
u/ortcutt: “Athens, please bring back the punishment for idiots like this.”
u/Karmeleon86: “I hate that stupid camera on his tooth.”
u/GandalfYodaSisko: “Has anyone told him that most of the stones are already very old?”
u/WorldBiker: “He’s the type of tourist we don’t want in Greece.”
u/Snoo_51149: “Totally an idiot.”
u/Spirited-Ad-9746: “‘I touched some very old stones.’ You know, all the stones are kind of very old…”
u/charizmattik: “I’m going there for the first time in 2 weeks, and I’ll make sure not to touch the ‘old stones.’”
u/PimsriReddit: “Oh my God, no! I hate tourists like this so much. They’re the type who think rules don’t apply because they’re on vacation. I live in a tourist area in Bangkok, and I constantly see people climbing into Buddha statues’ laps or trying to ‘ride’ mythical creatures in temples. Fines need to be stricter.”
u/The-Last_Man_On_Mars: “What an absolute jerk.”
u/vanoitran: “I lived near Yellowstone before moving to Greece. Every year we’d hear about one or two idiots who ignored the signs and either got killed by a buffalo they wanted to pet or boiled by a lake they thought was just a hot spring. People like this really make me wonder about human nature.”
