16-05-2025
Shocking moment British tourist is attacked by crowd wielding makeshift weapons after getting into a fight with a taxi driver in Bali
A British tourist who allegedly attacked a taxi driver in Bali was then set upon by a mob of cabbies wielding makeshift weapons before police arrived and arrested him.
Brandon Joseph, 30, reportedly assaulted Herlindo Emmanuel Nino, 31, at a car park in the Badung district of the holiday island in the early hours of Thursday.
The driver claimed he had tried to offer Joseph a ride after he got out of a white van and appeared 'confused'.
His offer was allegedly met with unprovoked violence, with Joseph reported to have punched him in the face.
The driver responded angrily, reportedly asking Joseph why he had hit him, when the tourist, 'without saying a word', allegedly landed another punch.
'The perpetrator hit the victim again on the lip until the victim's front teeth broke,' a spokesperson told Indonesian news outlet detikBali.
Footage shows Nino, seen in a red t-shirt with blood gushing down his face, standing by as a number of his fellow cabbies launched an attack on the Brit.
The video shows a shirtless Joseph - seen in black shorts - squaring off with the mob of locals, while another man is seen being beaten up amid the chaos.
Footage shows Nino, seen in a red t-shirt, standing by as a number of his fellow cabbies launched an attack on the Brit
The man, who is wearing beige trousers, appears to have his shirt ripped from him as he tries to escape.
After trying to take on some of the men, Joseph then ran and jumped in the van, which the villagers pelted with stones as they brandished planks of wood.
A voice was reportedly heard saying: 'Don't damage the car. Please don't damage my car, sir, this is my car. If there's a problem, it's with the guest.'
An injured Herlindo, seen in a red shirt in the clip, stood nearby nursing wounds on his face.
Police later arrived to control the furious crowd, and went on to arrest Joseph.
Police spokesman I Ketut Sukadi, spokesman said: 'There was an assault against an online taxi driver committed by a foreign national from the UK in the Savaya parking area.
The attack happened at 8.30am on Thursday.
The driver reportedly suffered several injuries and is said to have had his front teeth smashed in the scrap.
Pictures of Joseph outside the police station appear to show him with a bandage on his head.
AKP Agus Dharmayana, South Kuta police chief, said Brandon was taken to the Bali Jimbaran Hospital to calm down.
He was then be taken to the police station for interrogation.
Police said they were investigating the cause of the clash.
The British tourist had reportedly been staying in Canggu, an area popular with holidaymakers which is famous for its six-mile long beach.
