https://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-man-climbs-pyramid-hurls-stones-20190502-5hgvoov5rvcwbhhr32thaq6jwy-story.html
Man scales Great Pyramid of Giza before hurling stones at security guards
An Egyptian man scaled the Great Pyramid of Giza, finishing off his stunt by hurling stones at security, according to officials.
The bizarre incident occurred Wednesday, according to Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, who added the man initially appeared to be a run-of-the-mill visitor.
"The security forces who are stationed in the area went after him when he started to climb," Waziri explained to Al-Hayat, an Egyptian television channel. "They tried to discourage him from doing that, but he responded by throwing scattered stones their way."
Security, Waziri said, eventually left him to continue his stunt, citing concern for both his safety and that of their team, according to Egyptian outlet, Egypt Today.
The top of the pyramid boasted a wooden mast, meant to inform the public of the structure's original height — 481 feet — but the man removed part of it, and tossed it.
A video has begun making the rounds online, in which the alleged offender can be seen throwing items from his spot at the top.
One of the country's laws, according to Egypt Today, states, "anyone who deliberately destroys or disfigures a monument, separates part of it intentionally or digs for antiquities would be handed an imprisonment sentence of 3–7 years." While scaling the ancient structures doesn't inherently violate Egyptian law, according to ABC News, the country's antiquities minister, Khaled al-Anani has called the act "strictly forbidden." Not to mention, it's a slippery slope for climbers, as these ventures can easily break the antiquities law.
Removing a portion of the mast did not constitute "spoiling" the antiquities, Waziri noted, explaining that the object is not only modern, but replaced every few years given its exposure to erosion and the sun.
This man is hardly the first, or most controversial, to climb the Great Pyramid.
A Danish man and woman did so in late 2018, even taking nude photos at the top. Egyptian authorities looked into whether the photo showed the couple having sex on the structure, which the man, Andreas Hvid, denied. Though some people questioned the stunt's legitimacy, plenty were angered by the act, with al-Anani calling the photo a "violation of public morality."
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