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

At Munich's Oktoberfest, women are being given cycling shorts for a popular rotating ride called the Teufelsrad after numerous voyeuristic videos of riders surfaced online. The operator, Elisabeth Polaczy, has distributed over 100 pairs of shorts since the festival began on September 19 to prevent upskirting incidents. Local media reports that at least 32,000 such videos have circulated, with some receiving millions of views, and authorities warn that professional YouTubers from Ukraine and Bavaria are behind much of the footage.

Written by AI on 2026-10-03, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

At Munich's Oktoberfest, the operator of the Teufelsrad, or Devil's Wheel, a popular rotating amusement ride, started giving out free cycling shorts to female riders after thousands of voyeuristic videos surfaced online. These videos often showed women in traditional dirndl dresses with their underwear exposed due to the ride's rapid spinning motion. One video reportedly earned its poster €9,000 (£7,650). German broadcaster BR found that a professional group from Ukraine and locals were behind these videos. Despite filming under skirts being illegal since 2020 in Germany (punishable by up to two years in jail), critics argue the law is insufficient as it only applies when someone films directly beneath a skirt, not when photos capture exposed underwear due to movement or digital alteration. Elisabeth Polaczy, who runs the ride, has handed out over 100 pairs of shorts during this year's Oktoberfest to protect women from upskirting incidents and has been doing so for three years.

Written for “Oktoberfest Upskirting Prevention” on 2026-11-03, grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 Oktoberfest Upskirting Prevention

Entertainment · 4 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

This article reads unscored and hedges 15% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Women given shorts at Oktoberfest to prevent upskirting Same event

BBC News

Hedges 3 of 23 claims Outlet record 68/100

Women in Munich Oktoberfest given free shorts to prevent upskirting Same event

Times of India

Hedges 5 of 25 claims Outlet record 59/100

Women given free cycling shorts to prevent upskirting on Oktoberfest amusement ride Same event

The Guardian

Hedges 1 of 13 claims Outlet record 66/100

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Maira Butt

64 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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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.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-03

🔮 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.

2026-10-03 · The Independent

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

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. asserted

thousands → provide → videos

The Teufelsrad, or Devil's Wheel, is a rotating ride, which riders sit or lay down on while it spins. asserted

it → rotate → which

The motion means that skirts and dresses sometimes fly up but these instances have been filmed and shared widely online. asserted

instances → mean → ?

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. uncertain

who → operate → 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. asserted

she → say → shorts

“I want to do everything I can to make people feel secure,” she said. asserted

she → want → everything

The ride is surrounded by signs and police posters warning against filming but she she said that it is impossible to control everyone. asserted

it → surround → 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. uncertain

some → accord → times

Some waitresses say they have also started wearing shorts under their dirndls (a traditional German folk dress worn by some staff at Oktoberfest). asserted

they → say → Oktoberfest

Local broadcaster BR reported that sometimes images have been digitally altered to show the staff naked. asserted

staff → report → ?

According to an investigation by the outlet, a group of professional YouTubers from Ukraine and some from Bavaria were behind the footage. uncertain

group → accord → footage

One woman earned made €9,000 (£7,650) from a single clip. asserted

woman → earn → 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. asserted

it → tell → 2025

Upskirting is a term to describe the act of taking a sexually intrusive photograph up someone’s skirt or dress without permission. asserted

Upskirting → describe → permission

In Germany, the offence carries a two-year prison sentence, having been criminalised in 2020. asserted

offence → carry → 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. asserted

practice → become → Martin

Munich’s Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer festival and is frequented by over six million people over a 16-day period. asserted

Oktoberfest → frequent → period

While a majority of people attending the event are from Munich, millions also fly in from across the world to attend. asserted

millions → attend → world

dpa → expect → countries

AI-powered cameras were also put in place this year to detect large crowds. asserted

cameras → power → crowds

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

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