It's disturbing and upsetting when foreigners come to Peru and vandalize historic and cultural landmarks but it's even more distressing and embarrassing when that same vandalism is committed by it's own citizens.  Yesterday the Instituto Nacional de Cultura (INC) or National Culture Institute in the department of La Libertad (where the ruins of Chan Chan are located) filled a legal complaint against four Limeñan students from the district of Los Olivos for vandalism and destruction towards the Chan Chan ruins.

These four pirañitas (spanish for piranhas) were on an end of the year class field trip to La Libertad visiting the Chan Chan ruins where they committed their disrespectful and atrocious acts of vandalism not just to a national landmark but to Peru's heritage (patrimonio).  To further prove their lack of overall intelligence and civility the four decided to film their crime (so that later it would be used against them in their up coming trial).  The film displays them kicking, writing on the walls and even throwing rocks against the walls murals all while laughing at their despicable act.

In retort (and I'm so heated up right now that I'm not even sure if this is the right context for this word), the Regional Director of INC is determined to sanction all four students as a preventative measure to any future idiots who might find it amusing to vandalize cultural landmarks.  The DA or Fiscalia of La Libertad is currently underway in a full investigation of the crime to further determine the rightful sentence and punishment for the four vandalists.

Interestingly enough, a news reporter from Frequencia Latina went to interview on of the parents of the four vandals to get his opinion of the entire situation.  What is shocking is his response to the entire crime serves only as an indication to the class of parents that raised the vandals.  The father whose name was not revealed had this to say: "it was nothing more than just a childish prank, and that they just recently learned of the value of the ruins!"  Are you KIDDING ME, excuse me but that's total BS (obviously the father is trying his best to cover for his son but fails to realize that his statements reflect poorly on their family)!

According to INC these acts of vandalism and destruction towards the ruins are constant which raises the question "who is protecting these ruins?"  If sanctioned (and I really hope they do) these four students could be looking at 3 to 8 years in jail for such crimes towards Peru's national and cultural landmarks.  I know I am personally crossing my fingers.

below is the video that was placed on YouTube by one of the students that shows the acts of vandalism.



It's also important to know that when the students were caught and charged with their crimes their laughter changed to fear as they tried to make amend their wrong doings with a simple "were sorry, honest we are!"