The two men, both from Senegal, were reported by other visitors on April 30 for having ignored a “no crossing” sign and climbed onto a part of the wall beyond Watchtower 20, which is still being redeveloped.

The operator called on visitors to respect and protect the ancient structure, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

After learning of the two men’s behavior, it said, the operator “immediately took corresponding measures, using the ticketing system and monitoring system to locate the information of the two tourists and put them on the ‘blacklist,’ restricting their eligibility to purchase tickets.”

The paper said that the topic went viral on Weibo, China’s equivalent to Twitter, quoting one user as commenting “whether they are Chinese or foreigners, they should be treated equally if they violate the regulations.”

The Mutianyu section of the wall sits about 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of central Beijing, and is one of the most well-preserved and popular sections of the monument to visit, though not as heavily trafficked as Badaling, the closest accessible part of the wall to the Chinese capital.

“It also must be pointed out that many unrestored sections of the Great Wall are not technically open to the public, though rarely policed,” the guide notes. “In fact, wild hiking on the Great Wall is quite common, with local tour companies running guided treks, some of them overnight.”