A tourist visiting Mexico was arrested and later attacked after he climbed up the side of a historic Mayan temple.
In video footage obtained by Sky News and the Daily Mail, a man from Germany — whose identity has not been made public — can be seen scaling the side of the Temple of Kukulcan in Chichen Itza in Yucatan, Mexico, on Thursday, March 20, as locals yelled at him for trespassing.
“You are not allowed to go up the temple!” one onlooker can be heard yelling in Spanish, as other person shouted out: “idiot” and “stupid.”
A security guard can then be seen climbing up the temple after the man. After they both reached the top, the crowd on the ground below booed. Before long, members of the Mexican National Guard ran up to catch the tourist, and he was quickly arrested and led away with his hands behind his back.
Video also shows members of the public running up to the man as he was being led away by National Guard personnel, and hitting and yelling at him in the process.
Mexico News Daily reported that between 8,000 and 9,000 people were visiting the temple — also known as El Castillo — at the time of the incident for the spring equinox.
The Chichen Itza complex, where the historical site is located, becomes an extremely popular travel destination for both locals and tourists during the equinox, as the ancient Mayan temple was built more than 1,000 years ago so that a light and shadow phenomenon can be seen during the seasonal transition.
According to the Chichen Itza website, the ancient Mayans constructed the structure to measure the time of year, and when the hours of day and the hours of the night were equal in 1500 BC.
The Temple of Kukulcan is a UNESCO World Heritage site and known as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
The site’s website also notes that it is illegal for visitors to climb the pyramid structure, as previously climbers caused significant damage to the building. Mexico’s Federal Law on Monuments and Archaeological Zones states that anyone who is caught climbing the pyramid faces fines ranging from 55,760 MXN to 278,800 MXN (around $3,200 to $16,000) and even prison time in more severe cases of damage.
“The decision to ban climbing ensures that the pyramid remains intact for future generations to admire and study,” the website notes. “The pyramid’s steep steps make climbing a risky activity. Before the ban, there were numerous reports of visitors losing their footing and sustaining injuries. The prohibition on climbing not only protects the structure but also safeguards visitors from potential accidents.”
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Back in November, a similar situation took place in Japan when an American tourist was arrested for allegedly defacing the entrance to the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward.
Steven Lee Hayes, 65, was arrested on suspicion of property damage, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department confirmed to NBC News at the time. Hayes had allegedly “carved alphabet letters” into a wooden pillar of the entrance, a traditional Japanese torii gate.
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