Two Black Women Arrested In Bali Over Maltreatment Of Nail Salon Worker

Two Black women are now facing up to two years in prison in Bali, Indonesia, following their arrest for allegedly attacking nail salon staff.

Daily Mail reports that two Black women, one British and one American, are facing up to two years in prison in Bali, Indonesia, following their arrest for allegedly attacking nail salon staff on Dec. 14 over a payment dispute. The tourists, identified as “Andrea CW” from London and “Chansler A” from New York, reportedly became agitated when they could not pay for an additional treatment they had requested at the Ombre Nail Salon in Kerobokan.

The altercation, captured on CCTV, depicts Chansler seemingly grabbing a salon clerk by the collar and pulling her over the counter while Andrea vehemently insists that they are attempting to pay for the service.

“Let me tell you something. I am trying to be reasonable. I asked you several times to let me outside. I ran outside to get money. You don’t know what I’m going outside for. Why were you trying to hold me hostage?” The situation escalated as the staff accused the tourists of blackmail, claiming they threatened to leave a negative review if asked to pay and subjected the salon employees to verbal abuse.

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The manager of Ombre Nails Studio condemned the tourists’ actions, explaining, “They blackmailed us that if we kept asking them to pay, they will leave a bad review, and they started to verbally abuse our staff.” He added that the tourists attempted to take money from the cashier, causing physical and mental harm to the staff.

The two Black women were apprehended by police at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali on Dec. 16, just as they were attempting to board a plane to Thailand. Immigration officials flagged the suspects due to their suspicious appearance —they were wearing hats and masks — and later confirmed their identities through CCTV footage.

Badung Police Chief Kompol I Made Pramasetia revealed that the pair had originally planned to stay in Indonesia until Dec. 22 but decided to leave earlier following the salon incident. The tourists now face charges under the Indonesian Penal Code for maltreatment, which could result in a maximum imprisonment of two years and eight months, and for forcing others to do something, carrying a maximum prison sentence of one year.

This incident has sparked outrage and drawn attention to the consequences of disrespectful behavior and entitlement while traveling abroad, especially in communities that rely on tourism. The legal proceedings will shed light on the broader issue of responsible tourism and the need for travelers to respect local customs and businesses.