Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou could face a fine of up to 10,000 euros (US$10,535) for using a hammer and chisel on the Berlin Wall, a protected monument.
During a filming session with a Berlin TV station following Hertha Berlin's 2-2 Bundesliga draw with Schalke, Kalou mimicked breaking off a piece of the wall at the Eastside Gallery, a popular tourist attraction.
The Berlin Wall, which divided Germany's capital from 1961 to 1989, has been under a protection order since 1991. Anyone found defacing it can be subject to significant fines, prompting an investigation into whether any damage was caused by Kalou's actions.
Berlin police have confirmed they are investigating a complaint against Kalou, as reported to SID, an AFP subsidiary.
Kani Alavi, chairman of the Eastside Gallery, expressed his dismay in an interview with the Berliner Kurier newspaper:
I nearly fell off the sofa when I saw the footage. Here we have a well-paid celebrity increasing his market value at the expense of a national monument. Without respect. And with the clear backing of television.
Alavi further emphasized the importance of respecting national monuments, stating:
Just because there is no security patrolling the Gallery, doesn't mean you can go around doing what you want. If he had done that at the Brandenburg Gate, the player would probably have been arrested.
