Women given cycling shorts to wear on popular Oktoberfest ride after upskirting incidents

Women given cycling shorts to wear on popular Oktoberfest ride after upskirting incidents At least 32,000 videos of women on the Teufelsrad ride at the world’s largest beer festival are in circulation, say reports - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Women have been provided with cycling shorts at a popular Oktoberfest ride in Germany to prevent them being upskirted after thousands of voyeuristic videos emerged online. The Teufelsrad, or Devil's Wheel, is a rotating ride, which riders sit or lay down on while it spins. The motion means that skirts and dresses sometimes fly up but these instances have been filmed and shared widely online. Elisabeth Polaczy, 80, who operates the popular attraction, told the BBC that she has been forced to hand out free shorts to women and girls to protect them from people who may be filming in the crowd at the beer festival. She said that at the festival this year, which began on 19 September and ends on Sunday, she has handed out more than 100 pairs of the shorts. “I want to do everything I can to make people feel secure,” she said. The ride is surrounded by signs and police posters warning against filming but she she said that it is impossible to control everyone. According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, a Munich-based daily publication, there are at least 32,000 videos of women on the Teufelsrad in circulation and some have apparently been viewed millions of times. Some waitresses say they have also started wearing shorts under their dirndls (a traditional German folk dress worn by some staff at Oktoberfest). Local broadcaster BR reported that sometimes images have been digitally altered to show the staff naked. According to an investigation by the outlet, a group of professional YouTubers from Ukraine and some from Bavaria were behind the footage. One woman earned made €9,000 (£7,650) from a single clip. A Bavarian police spokesperson told the BBC that it has been running a poster campaign warning against upskirting at the beer festival since 2025. Upskirting is a term to describe the act of taking a sexually intrusive photograph up someone’s skirt or dress without permission. In Germany, the offence carries a two-year prison sentence, having been criminalised in 2020. In the UK, the practice became illegal in 2019 with the passing of the Voyeurism (Offences) Act following a high-profile campaign by activist Gina Martin. Munich’s Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer festival and is frequented by over six million people over a 16-day period. While a majority of people attending the event are from Munich, millions also fly in from across the world to attend. About 600 police officers were expected to be on duty around the festival in addition to Bavarian riot police, specialised pickpocket investigators, and international task forces from eight countries, dpa reported. AI-powered cameras were also put in place this year to detect large crowds. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] kinnen hier lache und fonlich bein