Five foreigners questioned after tourists brawl with security guards outside popular Bali beach club
An Australian is among a group of tourists being grilled by Bali police over a fight outside a popular beach club, with calls for them to spend time behind bars.
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An Australian man is among five foreigners being questioned after a wild brawl outside a Bali beach club which left four security guards injured, one who suffered broken teeth, a nosebleed and a head gash.
The case was swooped on by Badung Police, but was taken over by the more senior Bali Police, with five tourists picked up at their accommodation and taken for questioning at Bali Police headquarters on Thursday.
“The investigation is still underway. The five foreigners are being questioned at the police station. We haven’t named any of them as suspects yet as we are still collecting information and evidence,” said Badung Police Second Inspector, Ipda Putu Sukarma.
The incident triggered harsh words from Australian security consultant John McLeod who believed the “drunken tourists” could benefit from a “couple of months” in an Indonesian holding cell.
No charges have been laid over the shocking melee, captured on camera and which quickly went viral on Indonesian social media accounts, which showed shirtless men wielding what appeared to be planks of wood as they clashed with security guards outside the popular Finns Beach Club on Tuesday night.
Mr Sukarma told the Bali Times the incident started around 9.40pm when an Aussie tourist, who they have dubbed LD, accidentally bumped into a woman seated at another table.
The incident lead to a “heated argument,” he said.
“LD then grabbed another guest by the neck. Security intervened to break up the fight.”
When security were unable to calm down the Aussie, they attempted to escort him out of the venue, Mr Sukarma said.
The Australian man was then allegedly joined by four of his friends at 9.55pm.
The nationality of the friends has not yet been confirmed.
They launched an attack before fleeing north toward Jalan Pantai Berawa, Mr Sukarma said.
Mr McLeod, a former police officer who now runs a private consultancy firm helping Aussies who find themselves in jail overseas, described the wild scenes on Tuesday night as “unacceptable”.
“A couple of months in an Indonesian police holding cell may assist these drunken tourists [to] think about their options in the future,” he said.
“We are deeply concerned and saddened by the recent incidents of alcohol-fuelled violence involving Western tourists directed towards Balinese locals who are simply trying to make a living and support their families.
“Such behaviour is unacceptable and does not reflect the respect and gratitude that visitors should show towards the Balinese people and their culture.”
Four security guards were allegedly injured, including one who suffered broken teeth, a nosebleed and a head injury severe enough to warrant treatment at nearby Hydro Medical Bali Clinic.
Another allegedly suffered a bite mark to his hand while the others suffered bruising, swelling and abrasions.
Bali Police are expected to name the five foreigners as suspects or not within 24 hours.
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