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A tourist has been handcuffed in Bali after he was caught bragging about breaking the island’s biggest rule on social media.
The man, who is reportedly from Switzerland, can be seen in the footage being surrounded by officials before being handcuffed and put into a vehicle.
In a series of clips posted to social media, the man brags about going outside during Bali’s holy Nyepi Day, a very sacred Hindu “Day of Silence” in which the entire island enters a strict 24-hour period of silence, fasting, and meditation.
Nobody is allowed outside during this time, except for medical emergencies.
Any tourists caught flouting the rules face serious legal consequences, including fines, potential jail time, or even deportation from Indonesia.
In a series of clips posted to Instagram, he bragged about flouting the rules to go outside, even writing, “Day of silence where (you’re) not allowed to go outside in Bali is pretty peaceful outside.”
“F–k Nyepi day and f–k your rules too.”
He smiles to the camera in the clips,
“I made it to the beach, they didn’t catch me, it is completely dark, there is nobody out here, this s–t is crazy,” he said in the clip.
Local senator Niluh Djelantik took to social media to share an interaction she had with the man, declaring, “The foreign national perpetrator of Nyepi harassment surrendered himself at the residence of Senator Niluh Djelantik.”
In a tense video, she confronted the man about his actions.
“Today you insulted Hindus,” she told him, before he replied that he still “doesn’t like the rule that you can’t go outside.”
“So don’t come. Bali is not your home; it is a place that gives you a room in your hotel,” she said.
“That you pay by the night. But Bali is not your home.
“If you say you think this is unfair, I will make sure you never come to this country ever again. I will make sure of that.
“You will never accept that we have this one day, in a year, that we need to be quiet.”
Bali Senator, Niluh Djelantik, again voiced her stern warning to foreign citizens who do not respect or even insult Hari Raya Nyepi,” the video read, translated from Indonesian to English.
“Niluh assures that [foreigners] violating this rule will not only be deported, but also ensured that they will not be able to set foot in Bali again because they will be black-listed.
“Niluh Djelantik firmly states that every individual in the Indonesian territory, including [foreigners], is obliged to comply with all rules and laws that apply in the country.”
It is not clear if the man was deported from Indonesia.
Another tourist, this time from the United States, was detained by local security after being spotted walking outside during this year’s Nyepi.
Karl Adolf Amrhein, 57, was wandering out on the main road at Bali’s Sukawati village about 7 a.m.
Officers from Sukawati Police told local media they had secured a foreign national from the US who was found violating Nyepi regulations on Thursday.
Authorities revealed the man had pretended to be mute upon being taken back to the police station, before insisting on being let go.
Police said the man eventually communicated with authorities, where it was revealed he had been looking for accommodation after being “forced to leave” his previous hotel.
“He admitted he was forced to leave his hotel in Ubud because his stay had expired,” a local police chief told reporters.
He was later escorted to a nearby villa to stay and warned of further breaches.
The incident comes as travellers are urged to understand the strict scale of Bali’s annual shutdown.
For 24 hours on a date in March each year, the streets of Bali come to a complete standstill for Nyepi, with lights, music, traffic, and transportation banned.
The rules apply to everyone on the island, regardless of religion or nationality.
All businesses and public services, except emergency services, are closed. There is also no air travel.
Locals and tourists alike are informed that they must stay at home or in their accommodation.
Hotel hosts will advise guests what activities are and are not permissible, with some hotels providing a silent buffet for guests and allowing limited access to resort facilities.
Others strictly require guests to stay in their rooms and instead deliver food to them.
The spiritual and cultural celebration is a time for reflection, meditation, and self-purification, with the day rooted in Balinese Hinduism, where about 87 per cent of Bali identify as Hindu.
Meanwhile, in the lead-up to Nyepi Day, the island will be buzzing with rituals and festivities.
The day before Nyepi, the Ogoh-Ogoh parade will be held with effigies that represent mythological creatures paraded through the streets, accompanied by traditional music and dancing.
English (US)