Security guard kicked minor in SpongeBob SquarePants costume in Nummela – suspected assault
West Uusimaa police suspect a security guard of assaulting a minor in Vihti's Nummela on Friday. A prosecutor is also reviewing the conduct of police present at the scene.
Security guard kicked SpongeBob SquarePants character between the legs – police also under prosecutor review
West Uusimaa police have launched a preliminary investigation into a security guard's suspected assault in Vihti's Nummela on Friday evening, Ilta-Sanomat reported. The victim was a minor dressed in a SpongeBob SquarePants costume.
The incident took place in front of X Lounge Bar in Nummela. Ilta-Sanomat has viewed video footage of the situation, according to which the security guard kicked the person in the SpongeBob costume between the legs from behind twice. Before the kicks, police had pushed the person's legs apart by kicking their feet apart from a pole they were holding onto.
According to police statement, four minors in fancy dress costumes arrived and attempted to disrupt a music event held at the restaurant. Police and security guards attempted to remove them from the premises.
– When one security guard and a police officer were holding a person being removed, another security guard kicked them in the lower body from behind, the statement read.
The individuals were temporarily detained. Once their identities were verified, police issued them an order to leave.
A police misconduct unit within the national prosecutor's office is reviewing the conduct of police present at the scene, which will conduct a preliminary investigation into possible breach of official duty.
Rapper Sliki, whose real name is Jan Vikman, performed at the restaurant that evening.
The SpongeBob SquarePants phenomenon reportedly stems from a surprise concert held in Sastamala in early September, where Sliki and rapper Korelon performed at an event organised by social media personality and poker millionaire Ossi Ketola, 28. According to Sliki, SpongeBob SquarePants came on stage to disrupt Korelon during the performance.
After the concert, Sliki and Korelon said they learned about Ketola's background and publicly disassociated themselves from him due to racism. Ketola has repeatedly made racist remarks and participated in Sinimusti movement marches, among other things.
Nevertheless, so-called freakbobs have repeatedly disrupted artists' concerts across Finland. Freakbob is an internet meme character that resembles SpongeBob SquarePants but behaves deliberately disruptively in videos. One restaurant manager described the activity to Ilta-Sanomat previously as systematic.
Niko Pyrhönen, a researcher specialising in far-right activism and internet culture, commented to Ilta-Sanomat that from the outside it is impossible to know whether the freakbobs participating in the stunts are acquaintances of Ketola, whether they are paid for their actions, or whether they are some kind of fans. The identities of the SpongeBob characters are unknown.
Source: Ilta-Sanomat