2 Canadian tourists arrested in Peru for taking naked photos at Machu Picchu

CUSCO, Peru – Just days after Peru’s Ministry of Culture called the practice “disrespectful,” two Canadian tourists have been arrested for taking nude photos at the historic Machu Picchu site.

Peruvian media reports say the 20-year-old Canadians were arrested on Wednesday for taking photos of each other at the archaeological monument.

The reports identify the Canadians as Marc Antoine Daudelin and Patrice Mathieu and say they were taken away by police and their cellphone photographs erased.

The arrest of the Canadians came a few hours after a pair of Australian tourists were arrested — also for taking nude photos at Machu Picchu.

Nude photos or videos taken at Machu Picchu have recently become common on social media and Peruvian officials have called the practice obscene or profane to the sacred site.

Earlier in the week, Peruvian authorities announced they were stepping up security at Machu Picchu to prevent tourists “from committing this type of behaviour.”