The Antiquities Ministry’s monuments sector chief Mahmoud Afify said he has filed a report against the video circulated on social media platforms showing the selling of stones taken from King Cheops pyramid.
In a phone call with a talk show aired on Al-Assema TV channel, Afify said he filed a report against the journalist who filmed the video and all those who took part in buying stones from the vendors without notifying the authorities in question.
The stones that the workers offer to sell for tourists are only stones that fell on the ground and were not broken from the pyramids, Afify said, indicating high security measures at the pyramid gates.
“No one dares to break off a part of the pyramids," he added. "What happened is kind of a deception."
In another phone-in, Afify said if the website that published the video sought the government's assistance, it would have informed the the public prosecution from the beginning instead of posting it.
Four journalists made this video, he said. “They agreed in the beginning of the video with someone on the street on buying the stones. He gave them stones from around the archaeological area as his work in tourism is not okay.”
Three people were arrested on Saturday after they appeared in a video selling stones from the 4,500-year-old Giza pyramids to undercover journalists.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
