And you thought Mizzy was bad: The chaos for clout influencers who terrorise the nation

Unsuspecting people are being harassed, threatened and ‘reverse robbed’ on the high streets of Britain as part of a sinister new ‘prank’ trend fueled by algorithms on websites like YouTube and TikTok around the world.

This brand of street harassment – which traces its British roots to 2013, when figures like Jack Jones TV and Dapper Laughs enjoyed minor prominence – is characterized by “pranksters” who deliberately antagonize pedestrians and then upload their reactions to the internet ( often without their consent). ).

Last week, this dark subculture reached a peak when 18-year-old TikTok troublemaker Mizzy – real name Bacari-Bronze O’Garro – was arrested for sharing videos of him stealing dogs from retirees and breaking into people’s homes.

He has since been released on bail pending trial in July and defended his actions this week on BBC Newsnight saying: ‘Everything I do is apparently evil is what you say. I’m on the BBC news, I mean come on.’

In 2021, thug Josh McDonald, 33, sparked outrage after he and other martial arts amateurs dressed as Spider-Man burst into an Asda supermarket and kicked and beat a supermarket worker unconscious.

Video has also surfaced in recent days of a YouTube prank gone wrong, with teens pretending to ‘rob’ each other at an ATM in Sydney

A bystander (pictured in the orange pants) didn’t realize it was staged and punched the fake robber in the face

The trio then yells “It’s a joke,” but it’s too late when the teen is seen with a broken nose with blood leaking out (pictured)

McDonald, from Northampton, admitted in court yesterday that he had inflicted bodily harm and violent disorder.

Three others – the gang’s leader, George O’Boyle, 30, Sophie Roberts, 19, and Rikki McKenzie, 37 – also appeared at Kingston Crown Court.

O’Boyle, who entered the store dressed as Ali G, confessed to both violent disorder and assault with actual bodily harm (ABH), while Roberts – who was in a Little Red Riding Hood costume – admitted to both violent disorder and assault with actual bodily harm (ABH ). ABB).

McKenzie, dressed as Andy, Little Britain’s fake disability, admitted to public order and threats of violence.

Meanwhile, in Sydney, Australia, three YouTube pranksters have been slammed over footage of an ATM prank gone horribly wrong after one of them suffered a broken nose.

Daniel Maran, Robert Milazzo and George Proestos staged the mock robbery outside a Sydney ATM.

Footage shows the pranksters pretending to rob each other before a bystander, thinking it was real, tried to step in and punch one of the boys in the face and break his nose.

But despite high-profile cases like this, many similar pranksters remain active in the UK who have not faced such a deterrent.

A popular account called Ali_jokyy has over 50,000 YouTube subscribers and promises “jokes, smoke pranks.”

In the last five videos uploaded by the account, the prankster challenges ‘gang members’ to fights on the streets of Liverpool, Manchester, Bradford, Sheffield and Leeds.

In each video, the prankster explains that when he asks people if they want to get “smoked,” he refers to a cigarette, but this doesn’t convey to the targets of his “prank,” who are often jittery and defensive.

In a shocking video in Bradford, the man films himself approaching a group of men and things quickly spiral.

As the men circle around each other, a mother is seen distracting her children’s eyes from the terrifying scene.

In the strange video, the prankster films himself approaching strangers on the street and creating aggressive situations

It’s only after his targets get pretty furious that the YouTuber finally reveals he’s been “joking.”

In another video, three masked men approach a passerby and “rob” his coat

It’s only after the target follows the “prankster” into the road that he finally admits he’s joking.

Another disturbing account by the name of Jayden King has a video titled, “Robbing people’s coats and then giving them a new one.”

The video shows three men in balaclavas approaching pedestrians in Birmingham subway tunnels.

The prankster claims his stunt is a “reverse robbery” and many of the people he stops seem unnerved by the situation he created and filmed.

Other videos on his channel include asking people to say the N word for £100 and ‘picking up girls on the advice of Andrew Tate’.

In the latter case, the man approaches a woman and tells her she gives off “milf vibes.”

After being contacted by MailOnline, the prankster claimed he has no defense for his videos as they are all “fake and scripted”.

Another video posted to a popular YouTube account called Trollstation shows two men arguing outside a London pub.

Suddenly, much to the shock of fellow drinkers, one of the men hits the other on the head with a fake glass bottle and he falls to the floor.

It is not known if the pedestrians in the video knew the prank was staged.

In a video posted by the popular YouTube account Trollstation, a man appears to be bottling his friend

The ‘victim’ then lies sprawled on the floor in front of shocked onlookers

Obviously, these actions are anti-social, but whether they technically break laws or not is more complicated.

Talha Salzany is a social media legal expert at Freeman Harris solicitors and told MailOnline that due to the nature of the pranks, it can be difficult for those targeted to press charges.

He explained, “There’s no real specific law that prohibits filming someone on the street.

“If someone were to post a video alleging that someone has engaged in inappropriate behavior, it could be grounds for a defamation lawsuit — provided they can prove it.

You can also go after and revoke your image rights, although this can be an expensive process and is typically only used by celebrities.

“Some of the more high-profile jokes propagated by the likes of Mizzy fall under section four violation of breaking the peace, so if the target calls the authorities, they can file a claim.

“However, the nature of these gotcha jokes often involves the prankster de-escalating the situation and people invariably write it off as something weird that happened to them and move on with their lives.”

But why are these repulsive trends starting and why are they being condoned and even celebrated in some corners of fledgling digital spaces?

According to Millie Woodman, Head of Talent at EdHopkinsPR, algorithms on the Internet rely on a variety of factors and coincidences that make them difficult to track or monitor.

Speaking to MailOnline, she explained: “It often starts with a small group of individuals creating and sharing content that grabs the attention of others. When the content goes viral and gains widespread attention, more people are motivated to replicate or join the trend, further expanding its reach.

“The cycle continues as others join in, seeking validation, recognition, or social connection.”

But what can technology companies like YouTube and TikTok realistically do to limit the reach of these clips.

Ms Woodman continued, “Disturbing prank trends are gaining popularity among young people due to factors such as virality, attention seeking, peer influence and a lack of consequence.

Platforms like TikTok can combat these trends by improving moderation, implementing educational initiatives, providing reporting mechanisms, and partnering with experts and youth organizations.

“By taking these steps, platforms can help create a safer and more responsible online environment for young users.”