Indonesia's deputy tourism minister says the government seeks to urgently address violent crimes committed by foreigners in Bali after several men, including at least one Australian national, were filmed allegedly assaulting security guards outside a popular beach club.
A chaotic brawl took place outside Finns Beach Club in Canggu on Tuesday night, with footage posted to social media allegedly showing shirtless men beating security guards with wooden blocks.
Police have identified one of the suspects as a 28-year-old Australian man by the initials MR, who remains in custody.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the ABC it was "aware of the arrest of an Australian in Bali".
"We are seeking to provide consular assistance," they said.
Indonesia's Deputy Tourism Minister Ni Luh Enik Ermawati said the national government was "very worried" about a string of criminal acts by foreign nationals on the island and was coordinating with authorities in Bali to bolster law enforcement.
Earlier this month, prior to the incident at Finns, Ms Ermawati was quoted by local media as saying she wanted to increase the number of police officers who spoke English to "create a sense of security for tourists travelling in Indonesia".
An increase of incidents involving foreigners
Crimes involving foreign tourists in Bali appeared to be on the rise, particularly physical altercations and brawls, according to the Alliance for Marginal Tourism Operators in Bali.
The alliance's chairman, I Wayan Puspa Negara, told the ABC that reports of fights, whether among tourists themselves, between tourists and security personnel, or with local residents, were surfacing almost every week.
"To strengthen security in the short term, authorities should reconsider reinstating the tourist police and honorary police, which were highly effective in the past," Mr Negara said.
He highlighted that these officers, who were easily recognisable by their distinctive uniforms and English proficiency, played a crucial role in monitoring and supervising tourists, ultimately preventing conflicts.
However, he noted that following COVID-19, both tourist police and honorary police, comprising foreign tourists and international law enforcement officers, are no longer present in Bali.
"As an international tourism hub, Bali requires a robust security system that aligns with global standards," he said.
"Tourism should not be seen merely as a source of tax revenue or economic gain; its broader social impacts must also be addressed."
He also urged international tourists to respect local laws, customs, and cultural norms, emphasising that this message should be conveyed by airlines before travellers arrive in Bali.
Finns Beach Club faces possible sanction over fireworks during Hindu ceremony
Police plan to interview 11 witnesses regarding the alleged assaults, a spokesperson said.
Police spokesperson Putu Sukarma said last week that the violence at Finns was sparked by an incident inside the beach club.
"Security saw one of the alleged perpetrators strangling another guest sitting at the next table," Mr Sukarma told reporters.
"The cause was allegedly after a man bumped into a woman and therefore the security tried to break it up."
He said the security guards attempted to defuse the situation by escorting the individual out of the beach club.
However, after being escorted outside, the tourist allegedly began attacking a security guard in the car park.
Video shows shirtless men with what appears to be wooden blocks attacking the guards.
One of the men can be heard shouting: "Let's go, bro, let's go."
Another man yells as they lunge at the guards, throwing punches and swinging the wooden blocks.
The video has been widely shared on Indonesian social media, fuelling public anger over misbehaving foreign tourists.
Finns Beach Club is a popular venue in the Canggu area of Bali owned by former Sydney Swans player and property developer Tony Smith.
The club separately faces the threat of temporary closure, local media reported, after it held a fireworks display which disrupted a Hindu ceremony in October last year.
Bali authorities last month shut down an accommodation and events centre popular with foreigners called PARQ Ubud, which the government said had failed to comply with local regulations.
The ABC has approached Finns Beach Club and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.
