Two Americans were arrested in Japan after police say they broke into the enclosure of Punch, the beloved baby monkey who became an internet sensation for his heartbreaking story.
The strange incident happened Monday in Chiba, a Tokyo suburb, where police detained 24-year-old Reid Jahnai Daysun and 27-year-old Neal Jabahri Duan.
Authorities said one of the men allegedly climbed over the fence and entered the monkey enclosure while the other filmed the stunt.
Video from the zoo reportedly shows a person believed to be Daysun wearing a blue suit with a giant smiling emoji head as he climbs into the area where Punch lives.
The bizarre outfit appeared to reference the emoji often used to promote “memecoin” cryptocurrency projects. The intruder was also seen carrying a stuffed toy.
Punch is no ordinary zoo animal. The 9-month-old macaque went viral after heartbreaking images showed him clutching a stuffed orangutan toy after he was abandoned by his mother at birth.
His story touched animal lovers around the world, making the alleged stunt even more upsetting to fans.
Police said Daysun identified himself as a college student, while Duan, an Austin native, describes himself online as a singer based in California. It is not clear whether either man has any connection to cryptocurrency.
Both men appear to be active on social media, where their accounts reportedly show travel photos, luxury watches, cars, and stacks of cash as they promote their online content.
Zoo visitors were stunned when the costumed intruder entered the enclosure. The macaques reportedly ran in fear and gathered near a rock formation to get away from him.
A zookeeper quickly stepped in, grabbed the man by the arm, and escorted him out of the enclosure, which is home to about 50 monkeys.
Daysun and Duan were charged with obstructing operations at the zoo. Police said both men denied the charges and were expected to face more questioning from prosecutors.
The zoo said all of the animals were safe after the incident, including Punch.
Still, the break-in has raised serious concerns about security and the growing problem of nuisance influencers who stage illegal or disruptive stunts in foreign countries for attention online.
The zoo is now adding nets and permanent patrol units to help protect the monkey enclosure.
Punch’s life has already been difficult enough. He was abandoned by his mother last July after a difficult birth during a brutal heatwave. Without his mother’s care, he struggled to bond with the other monkeys and often played by himself.
Zoo workers tried to help him socialize by giving him a stuffed toy, and images of the little macaque holding it quickly went viral.
Fans around the world began rooting for Punch as he slowly adjusted to life with the other monkeys.
Now, after the strange break-in, many are furious that the vulnerable little monkey’s home was turned into the backdrop for what appeared to be a reckless stunt.
Idiots. I hope they are given prison time there. Some people haven’t a lick of sense!
Idiots! I hope they’re given prison time in Japan. Some people haven’t a lick of sense.