A strange TikTok trend is causing attacks in Austria: investigations into three students

Created: 04/28/2022, 13:25

By: Magdalena von Zumbusch

A suspected TikTok trend recently caused an uproar in Austria: the public prosecutor's office is investigating three students.

(Iconic image) © Liu Jie/dpa

Tiktok has already caused quite a few trends.

A new challenge is probably responsible for an investigation by the public prosecutor's office in Wels in Austria against three students.

Vienna – The Wels public prosecutor's office in Upper Austria is currently investigating three students who are said to have abused a classmate.

The videos of the attacks were based on a trend on the social medium "TikTok".

Alleged TikTok Challenge: Attacks on classmates – father of one affected reported

TikTok has often caused an uproar with its “Challenges”: A user sets a so-called “trend”, often as harmless as dancing to a certain hit.

Other users imitate the whole thing and upload video clips of it to the platform. In Upper Austria, a suspected trend at a school has now led to investigations.

“A teacher called us because our son confided in her.

At home he was ashamed to tell anything," reported the father of a victim of the incidents that became known on April 4, according to the Austrian

.

Three young students, two 13 and one 14 years old, are said to have maltreated the affected classmate by inserting fingers or objects anally against his will.

Some of the attacks are said to have been filmed for uploading to TikTok.

This is said to have happened during the school breaks, once even during class, the father reported.

He believes that the attacks have been going on for a long time: "My son has changed a lot in the past six months, his grades have gotten worse."

TikTok trend: investigations into three students in Austria

There should be more victims, including girls, says the boy's father, according to the

.

He not only informed the school management, but also the police, so an investigation is now underway.

"There is an ad with three suspects," confirmed Silke Enzlmüller from the Wels public prosecutor's office to the

.

After the incidents became known, the school reacted immediately.

Two students were suspended for three weeks, the participation of the third suspect could not be proven.

According to the Education Directorate in Upper Austria, the topic will be dealt with sensitively with the other students.

Video: Milk Crate Challenge a few months ago - Doctors warned of serious health risks

Suspects admit TikTok trend: But it was just "for fun".

The alleged perpetrators admitted the incidents at the school management: "They thought it was fun, imitated the TikTok challenge," said the school management, according to the

.

It is currently unclear whether the videos were then uploaded to the platform.

There have been repeated reports of “challenges” on TikTok that have prompted users to behave recklessly, dangerously or even violently.

For example, an arson case in Upper Bavaria was recently due to a TikTok trend.

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