Two British Women Convicted for Illegal Pole Dancing at Corfu UNESCO Site

Five British women were arrested in Corfu for staging a semi-nude pole dancing photo shoot outside the Old Palace of St. Michael and St. George, a UNESCO World Heritage Site housing the Museum of Asian Art, without the necessary permit. The incident sparked outrage among locals, who condemned the act as disrespectful to the historic site and accused the women of violating archaeological laws and degrading the cultural landscape. While two of the women were convicted of environmental degradation, three were acquitted of violating archaeological law due to lack of evidence of material damage. The women expressed remorse and apologized, stating they did not intend to offend the local culture and were unaware of the severity of their actions until the videos went viral. The Municipality of Corfu and the Museum of Asian Art filed lawsuits against the responsible parties, emphasizing the need to protect the monument and its surroundings. The pole dancing event was reportedly part of an annual pole dancing holiday organized by a British pole dancing school, which the authorities were not informed about.