A German tourist was arrested by police after stripping naked at an Indonesian temple and gatecrashing a sacred performance.
Darja Tuschinski was refused entry to the Hindu show in Bali, before allegedly pushing her way through security and taking off her clothes in front of the stunned audience. The 28-year-old then strode past the dancers on stage and forced open a huge gilded door.
When a local man attempted to stop her, she simply curtsied in front of him and started to copy the dancers' movements, before stepping down from the platform and making her way over to a shrine where she kneeled down to pray. Shocked tourists watched on as the backpacker then continued her nude protest and rejoined the dancers on stage.
Security staff immediately rushed over to detain Darja and she was later handed over to police in the Ubud district of the popular holiday island. She could now face up to two years and eight months in prison if she is found guilty of breaking the country's public indecency laws, the Mirror reports.
Bali Police Public Relations Head Stefanus Satake Bayu Setianto said: "The incident of a naked female foreigner occurred on the stage of the Puri Saraswati Hotel in Ubud, Gianyar Regency.
"She lives alone. During her stay at Ubud Bungalow, she was often seen naked while walking around the villa area."
Staff at the Saraswati Ubud Temple apologised to guests over the incident and performed a ritual to remove the "bad energy" left by the streaker. Darja was also tested for drugs and alcohol, however police have not yet released the results.
Officers believe the she was strapped for cash and became agitated when she was denied a ticket for the once-in-a-lifetime show, in which women in traditional outfits performed a dance honoring their Gods. Local council chief Wayan Widana said that Darja had been suffering from "depression" because she had run out of funds for her extended trip.
Anggiat Napitupulu, Head of the Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights for the Bali Region, said Darja was questioned at the police station and later taken to the hospital for physical and psychological check-ups.
He said: "We are currently investigating this case. We are very sorry that this incident occurred."
Officials in Bali have launched a crackdown on misbehaving foreigners following a rise in cases of tourists fighting and stripping. Public indecency is illegal under Article 281 of the country's Criminal Code, which prohibits "acts that violate public decency or morals".
It can be used to prosecute people for engaging in public displays of affection, such as kissing or hugging, or for those wearing revealing clothing or stripping off in public. The maximum punishment for violating Article 281 of the Criminal Code of Indonesia is two years and eight months in prison.
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