An American woman visiting New Zealand says she's shocked at the negative reaction she's received to body art painted on her bare chest from Rhythm & Vines revellers.
Madeline Anello-Kitzmiller, 20, was grabbed by a man at the Gisborne event on New Year's Eve as she walked about the crowds - bare-chested - except for body glitter.
Ms Anello-Kitzmiller then walked back to the man and slaps him four times while he's seated on the ground, after he ran away.
The incident was filmed by a fellow festival-goer and posted on Facebook yesterday, where it has since been viewed more than 200,000 times.
Ms Anello-Kitzmiller told NZ Herald herself and her boyfriend's sister were heckled after having their chests painted at a Rhythm & Vines stall.
"Within five minutes, we were being told we were disgusting, people were yelling 'put a shirt on'," she said.
"I couldn't believe it. It was just as much girls as it was guys."
Ms Anello-Kitzmiller, originally from Portland, Oregon said the experience was a "culture shock", recounting a festival in the US where people ended up "naked, caked in mud and there was no negativity".
Both Rythm & Vines and police spokespeople told NZ Herald they aren't aware of the incident.
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