According to The Sun, five British women were arrested and detained in Corfu after performing semi-nude pole dancing outside the historic Old Palaces of Saint Michael and Saint George, igniting strong reactions from locals and authorities.
The women allegedly conducted a photo shoot without the necessary permit at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which houses the Museum of Asian Art. The palace, built in 1819, is one of the best-preserved examples of Regency architecture outside the UK and previously served as a royal residence.
Footage shared by Greek media showed two women in bright red lingerie balancing on a pole outside the palace. Another clip captured a dancer in a black thong leotard being cheered on by a woman shouting, "Yes Shelly, nice!" According to The Sun, the women were dancing in front of astonished visitors.
Concerns were raised over possible damage to the site, leading to charges of environmental degradation and violation of archaeological law. According to The Sun, the women were arrested under the flagrant offense law just before midnight on May 23.
Following their arrest, the five women were brought before the prosecutor. The court decided they would remain in custody until their trial on Monday.
According to SKAI, the women expressed remorse for their actions, describing their choice of location as "unfortunate," and reportedly burst into tears upon hearing the court's decision.
"There was no pole dancing; it was a photoshoot in specific athletic poses, in pole dancing style," claimed their lawyer, Makis Grammenos, according to Proto Thema. He added that the group believed no permit was required for the photoshoot and that they did not realize the seriousness of their act.
According to Kathimerini, authorities, including the Municipality of Corfu and the Museum of Asian Art, have filed a lawsuit against all responsible parties regarding the incident.
"The episode took place in the outdoor area of the Palaces, specifically in the section housing the Municipal Gallery of Corfu, adjacent to the Museum of Asian Art of Corfu. For this illegal act, the competent authorities are filing a lawsuit against all responsible parties," said the Ministry of Culture in a statement, according to Kathimerini.
Outraged locals flooded social media with complaints, branding the shoot "disgraceful" and raising questions about who granted permission for such photography in the city center. One local asked on Facebook, "Would they do the same at Buckingham Palace?" another fumed, "The Corfu Palaces: they once hosted royals. Now, pole dancing."
According to The Sun, a pole dancing school in the UK was behind the trip. The British pole dancing school organizes intensive seminars in Corfu every year during the last two weeks of May.
Some residents defended the women, stating that "dancing is part of culture, only this was misunderstood," and noted that as an open space without guards and signs, there should be no reason to forbid someone from taking a photo.
The Old Palace of St. Michael and St. George is a cultural landmark of Corfu, housing the Museum of Asian Art and the Municipal Gallery.
Authorities are examining ways of more effective guarding of the area. "We are facing a similar issue for the first time. We do not wish to escalate the case to extremes, but neither can we consider it as if it did not happen," said Christos Skourtis, the Deputy Mayor of Central Corfu, according to Ethnos.
Their lawyer argued that the women did not realize a permit was required. "The local authorities argue that a permit is required and that there was a violation of some provisions of the law on antiquities and the protection of our cultural heritage," he said, according to Proto Thema.
He further stated that the group visited Corfu before and participated in similar activities without incident. The defense plans to invoke, among other things, the absence of a sign prohibiting photography and videography.
The preparation of this article relied on a news-analysis system.