Two Americans arrested in Japan after one climbed into zoo enclosure of viral baby monkey in costume stunt
Two Americans have been arrested in Japan after one of them climbed into a zoo enclosure holding Punch, a baby monkey that has become an internet sensation, in what authorities say disrupted operations at the facility.
Video shared on social media shows a man dressed in a costume featuring a smiley face and sunglasses scaling the enclosure fence before dropping inside. As he landed, the costume head reportedly fell off, and he picked it up before continuing the stunt. Authorities said the outfit appeared to be linked to a cryptocurrency-related online persona.
Police in Ichikawa, a suburb of Tokyo, said the two men were detained on suspicion of obstructing zoo operations. Officials said the man who entered the enclosure identified himself as a 24-year-old college student, while the second man, who filmed the incident, identified himself as a 27-year-old singer.
Footage shows the monkeys retreating from the intruder and climbing to higher ground within the enclosure. A zookeeper responded within about a minute and escorted the man out. No animals were injured.
The zoo later said there were no signs of distress or abnormal behavior among the animals, but announced plans to increase security with permanent patrols and added protective netting to prevent future intrusions.
Authorities also said the two men did not initially present identification and allegedly gave false names when questioned.
Comments
Post a Comment