A video showing a tourist couple in a naked embrace at the peak of the Great Pyramid of Giza (Khufu) is stirring up controversy among the Egyptian community.
With the night skyline of the city of Cairo behind them, the 3-minute video shows the couple climbing the pyramid—an illegal act in itself. Once they reach the top, the woman proceeds to take off her shirt and the video ends with an image of the nude couple embracing as the sun begins to rise.
Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anani called the act a violation of public morality, and said the incident and the video will be investigated by the attorney general, reported CNN.
But Ashraf Mohi, director general of the Giza Plateau, told Ahram Online the video wasn’t real at all. Mohi said that since there is heavy security, including an 8-kilometer fence around the pyramids, the video is likely a fake. The surrounding area in the video also appears too bright for the time the video was allegedly taken, he said.
The video was originally posted on YouTube by Danish photographer Andreas Hvid, who is popular on social media for his different posts around the world. Hvid told Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet that his goal was to climb the Great Pyramid, according to CNN, with an attempt earlier this year that ended with him being caught by the police.
“I’m sad that so many people have become so angry. But I have also received a positive response from a lot of Egyptians—something I think is worth remembering,” Hvid said.
The video has since been removed from YouTube.