(CNN) — Two YouTubers are facing deportation from Bali after they made a prank video that depicted one of them breaking local mask laws.
In the clip, Se attempts to enter a grocery store, only to be turned away because she isn’t wearing a face mask. Lin then paints a fake mask on her face and she is able to go into the shop.
The video, which was posted on April 22, went viral. Lin has 3.4 million subscribers on YouTube.
Though this was Lin’s and Se’s first known offense, the hubbub surrounding the video drew so much attention that Balinese authorities seized both of their passports. Lin is reportedly from Taiwan but lives in the United States, while Se (who goes by the name Lisha online) is a Russian citizen, according to a police statement.
Lin has since removed the video from his YouTube channel. On April 24, he uploaded a video on his Instagram where he, Se and their attorney apologize for the stunt. The video is subtitled in English and Indonesian.
“The intention to make this video was not at all to disrespect or invite everyone to not wear mask,” Lin says. “I make this video to entertain people because I am a content creator and it is my job to entertain people.” Later, he adds: “we promise not to do it again.”
Meanwhile, some police officers seem to have taken a more creative approach to punishing those caught breaking the law: an Australian news channel reported that two tourists were ordered to do push-ups as punishment for mask slacking.
Authorities confirmed to the channel that they had issued 8,864 fines or tickets for mask non-compliance in Bali in a single week. The island is hugely popular with foreign tourists and many chose to ride out the pandemic there instead of return to their native countries.
