NBA Houston Rockets player Bobby Brown showed on his Weibo account that he "had a blast at the Great Wall of China", but he deletedthe post later. (Photo from Weibo)
(ECNS) -- NBA Houston Rockets player Bobby Brown has apologized for scribbling graffiti on a popular part of the Great Wall of China, saying he didn't mean any harm.
Brown was with several players from the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans visiting the Mutianyu section of the wall in Beijing. It is one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall, with 22 original-style watchtowers.
Brown said he "had a blast at the Great Wall of China" on his Weibo account, accompanied by a photo of his messages—his name and shirt number—written on the wall's bricks.
The post irritated many Weibo users, who criticized Brown for damaging the world cultural heritage.
Brown updated his Weibo, saying "I'm sorry for this. I apologize I didn't mean any harm by this."
He also said he respects Chinese culture. "I made a(an) honest mistake. Hope you forgive me."
Brown later deleted both messages showing his graffiti and the apology.
A staff member working for the company that manages tourism at the Mutianyu section said nobody is allowed to leave graffiti on the Great Wall, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.
Furthermore, the section has an area designated for graffiti to stop tourists from scratching their names into the monument.
China's Great Wall Protection also bans graffiti, but leaves the right to levy penalties to the county-level cultural relics bureau.
An official from the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development said they will look into the issue.