Photo of man urinating at Hawaii’s Volcano viewing site draws backlash

A social media post showing a man urinating at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano eruption viewing site has angered the netizens.

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The internet is widely condemning the act saying it undermines the need for cultural education.

The photo was posted on Instagram via @notahomebody on Saturday and the person tagged in the post has since deactivated his account, as per the New York Post.

A native Hawaiian activist, Kumu Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, strongly condemned the act. She said, “Halemaumau Crater has great symbolism and meaning to the people, which is why they are livid over the post.”

“Many foreigners do not understand how we native Hawaiians feel about our relationship to the places and spaces here in the islands that we live in,” she added.

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The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park released a statement over the controversial act. “Not only does this seem to depict the improper disposal of human waste in a developed area, which is in violation of Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, but it also demonstrates a lack of understanding and disregard for the cultural significance of Kilauea,” the statement said.

According to the report, Kilauea is home to Pele, Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes.

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Such shameful incidents have surfaced online in the past as well. In November, a man posted a video of himself urinating on Mauna Kea, though he issued an apology after huge backlash.