Men arrested for getting naked at Machu Picchu

Nudity seems to be an increasingly popular way to mark a visit to the world wonder. Photo / Getty

First Justin Bieber flashed his bare bum at ancient ruins in Tulum Mexico, now two men have been arrested in Peru for getting naked at Machu Picchu.

Authorities in Peru are now warning tourists against nudity at the sacred site, which seems to be an increasingly popular way to mark a visit to the world wonder.

French national Xavier Mariec Eric, 28, and Brit Burton Adam, 23, were taken into custody by police on Wednesday after they were snapped taking off their clothes at the sacred site.
Peruvian news agency Andina reported that the men undressed with the purpose of "taking pictures of themselves with their cellphones".

Surveillance officers at the site, employed by Peru's local Culture Ministry, alerted police and the men were soon whisked away to the Machu Picchu station. They were still naked when police converged.

Andina reported that the men were both prosecuted for "offences against morality".
Police released the photos the men took of each other posing at the site as a warning to other tourists about lewd behaviour.

The incident came almost exactly two years after an 18-year-old Australian and 30-year-old New Zealander were detained by guards at Machu Picchu for dropping their pants.

The two were briefly held in custody and forced to delete naked photographs from their camera. However, the images had already been published on the internet.

In 2014 a video was posted to YouTube showing a couple streaking across Machu Picchu, chased by a guard.

A spokesman for Fertur Peru Travel, which organises tours to Machu Picchu, condemned the behaviour.

"Stripping naked at Machu Picchu probably isn't a great idea, unless you want to be removed from the citadel and possibly face criminal charges," he told the Daily Mail.
"Prudish perhaps, but those are the rules.'