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VIDEO: Tourist beaten with stick for illegally climbing Mayan pyramid in Mexico
The tourist can be seen being taken away from the scene by two Mexican officials when a bystander begins to hit him with a stick
February 3, 2023 6:59am
Updated: February 3, 2023 6:37pm
A tourist was beaten by a stick after climbing up a sacred Mayan temple in Mexico’s Chichen Itza archaeological site this weekend.
A viral video captured an unidentified tourist from Poland running up the steps of the Kukulkan pyramid at the archaeological site in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
The tourist can be seen being taken away from the scene by two Mexican officials when a bystander begins to hit him with a stick.
"Are you stupid?" another bystander yells.
The Polish tourist was arrested and held for 12 hours in the local prison for his actions. Additionally, he was fined $412 for climbing up the pyramid, according to the director of Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology.
"Tourists must respect the security measures of the INAH in the archeological zone to preserve the cultural heritage of Mexico, take care of other visitors, and enjoy that Mayan legacy," INAH Director José Arturo Chab Cárdenas said.
Mexico banned the climbing of the pyramids at the archaeological site in 2008, in an effort to preserve them. The usual penalty for attempting to climb the UNESCO World Heritage site ranges from $1,800 to 9,000.
In November, a tourist sparked outrage on Monday after climbing the steps of a protected Mayan pyramid in Mexico to record a dance, leading an angry mob to boo and pour water on her.
