Controversy erupts at Giza as workers caught with chisels
The Great Pyramid of Giza, a 4,500-year-old monument, recently became the focus of controversy. A video circulated online showing workers chiselling the building blocks with hammer and chisel, sparking outrage among tourists and making a significant impact in the Egyptian media. What does Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities have to say about it?
Workers in reflective vests were hammering and chiseling the stones of the Great Pyramid of Giza. This sight outraged thousands of tourists, as well as netizens who watched the surprising footage from Egypt. The construction workers began their work on Sunday, November 17, indifferent to the presence of onlookers.
The issue quickly gained attention. Comments surfaced indicating that the workers behaved as if they were attempting to dismantle the structure. A well-known Egyptian journalist, Ahmed Moussa, stated on a popular television program that what happened "is not worthy of Egypt, its tourism, and its civilization."
Tourists outraged by workers' behaviour, ministry explains
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt, called upon to explain, attempted to calm the situation by explaining that the workers' task was to remove electrical cables as part of modernizing the lighting system of the Great Pyramid. These cables were on an old cement layer, hence the decisive actions by the workers with hammers.
The Ministry emphasized that no damage was done to the historic structure.
The work is being carried out with great care to ensure that neither the pyramid nor its original stones are compromised in any way, the statement assured, quoted by foreign media.
However, this was not enough to calm netizens. On the contrary, many commenters are demanding that Egyptian officials be held accountable for this situation.
Dr. Ayman Ashmawy from the Supreme Council of Antiquities admitted that the workers performed their tasks at an inappropriate time and without proper supervision.
