Authorities arrested on Saturday five British women who performed pole dancing in the Arch of the historical Royal Palace on Corfu.
The photo-shooting in the early morning hours of Friday and the uploading of a video on social media sparked a storm of reactions in the local community and had local authorities and the Greek Culture Ministry running around to find out how could this “offensive event” -as they described it – happen, who was responsible and if anyone had given permission.
The “scandal” soon moved to nationwide media and websites who dug deeper in the issue.
According to ANT1 TV, the five Britons were “students” of a pole dancing school based in Great Britain that organizes a 2-week vacation package with intensive pole dancing seminars in the island of Corfu every year in the last two weeks of May.
The website of the school states that the photos from the professional photo shoot can be used to enrich each dancer’s portfolio, ANT1 reported. The cost of participation is £42 per day.
The five Britons face charges of violating the Legislation concerning the Protection of Antiquities and cultural heritage in general.
Following the outrage and complaints by the Corfu Antiquities Office, the Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands and the Museum of Asian Art of Corfu, police investigation lead to the five tourists but also to a Greek local man, a photographer, who apparently has not been arrested, so far.
The women’s lawyer said that it was the photographer who pointed to the Palace as the place of the photo-shooting.
The women were taken to prosecutor on Saturday and claimed that they had no idea that their performance was forbidden in the specific place. They asked 48 hours for their official testimonies. The deadline was granted, however, their request to be released until then by deposing their passports to police, was denied. ‘they burst into tears,” a TV channel reported.
They remain in detention until then and face charges of violating the Legislation concerning the Protection of Antiquities and cultural heritage in general.
UPDATE
On Monday, a court sentenced two of the five women who had organized the event to 6 months imprisonment suspended for three years. The remaining three women were found not guilty.
The women told the court that they did not know they needed a permission and regretted the incident. They said further that the photo shooting was for personal and not for commercial use.
The photographer, a Greek, is also to appear before the authorities once he overcomes a minor health issue, his lawyer reportedly said.
PS thankgoodness, the honor of local authorities and of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage monument have been saved and rescued. 🙄 I just wonder, whether the Coca Cola was fined for violated the contract and setting a “Greenhouse monster” outside the ancient Stadium in Athens.
Lock them away.
A disgrace.!
While the world is falling apart, with the strongest possibility of global nuclear war in my lifetime, and total collapse of weather patterns (with terrible implications for food and energy security), and the cost of living spirals out of control to the benefit of billionaires… Greeks become hysterical about GIRLS DANCING!!!???
Reports globally of big drops in average IQ are concerning, but it seems that Greece is leading the way.
Good to see the Greek authorities have their priorities sorted. Ignore the hundreds of driving offences we see every day / parking on the pavements blocking the access for the disabled / parking in “disabled” parking spots (ditto) / smoking inside restaurants & bars (still very common in the resorts) – just go after five dancers and keep then in prison for 48 hours. Sorry, but it makes the country look really stupid!!
Next time just start pole dancing outside Buckingham Palace, or Westminster Abbey. Enough with the ” just girls dancing”. It’s cheap and tasteless.
The possibility of nuclear war does not allow to disrespect the culture and monuments.
Perhaps the worldwide situation would be much better if all of us, including myself, had more respect