First arrest reported at Praia do Pinho after naturism ban

Police cite indecent exposure days after Balneário Camboriú ends nude beach status

Dec 24, 2025

View from behind a uniformed military police officer wearing tactical gear, standing near a grassy campground with tents and temporary structures. Several people are visible in the background near the beach access area. — Praia do Pinho | A military police officer stands near a campground adjacent to the beach, where authorities reported the first enforcement action following the city’s ban on naturism.

Days after Balneário Camboriú formally banned naturism across its coastline, local police have reported the first enforcement action tied to the new rules at Praia do Pinho, long regarded as the legal nude beach in Brazil.

According to local reporting, officers from the Polícia Militar de Santa Catarina detained a man on Monday afternoon, December 22, after finding him completely nude in an outdoor camping area adjacent to Praia do Pinho.1 The incident marks the first recorded police action following the city’s December 19 order prohibiting naturism on all municipal beaches.

Police said the man was nude in an area classified as private property but visible and accessible to third parties, which authorities argue places it under public-exposure rules. Officers ordered him to get dressed, but he reportedly refused, questioned the police action, and became agitated. He was restrained with handcuffs and cited for indecent exposure, disobedience, and resistance. In one account, he was not jailed but signed a statement acknowledging the charges and was released, with the case forwarded to the judiciary.

Police have emphasized that nudity in areas of common use or public visibility may constitute an offense even without a formal complaint, and have said patrols in the area will be intensified.

Wide view of Praia do Pinho showing a sandy beach bordered by green hills and rocky outcrops. People are scattered along the shore and in the water, some nude and others partially clothed, with umbrellas and small tents dotting the sand. — Praia do Pinho | Beachgoers gather along the shoreline at Praia do Pinho, long regarded as the birthplace of organized naturism in Brazil.

The arrest comes amid broader changes to Praia do Pinho’s legal status. As we reported earlier this week on Planet Nude, the city recently removed the beach’s decades-old naturist designation through revisions to its master plan and the signing of Municipal Decree No. 12.909/2025, reframing the area as a conventional public beach. City officials have cited complaints involving illicit activity, environmental damage, and spillover effects on neighboring beaches.

Mark K., a naturist in nearby Florianópolis, told Planet Nude the situation mirrors debates unfolding elsewhere along the Santa Catarina coast. “There are problems that need addressing,” he said, “but instead of enforcing existing laws, cities find it easier, and often more financially attractive, to simply revoke naturism.” He added that Praia do Pinho’s relatively undeveloped surroundings may now face increased pressure as the area is repositioned for tourism and real estate development.

This arrest demonstrates clearly how abruptly Praia do Pinho’s status has changed, and that authorities are not messing around. A beach governed by distinct conduct rules for more than four decades is now subject to standard public-order policing, with little clarity yet on how consistently those rules will be applied. 🪐